Anywhere But Here
by Mysterious Midnight
Summary: When a mysterious young woman travels back in time seeking help, claiming a demon is trying to kill her, the Charmed Ones question her motives. When she refuses to tell them who she is or who is after her, the Charmed Ones must decide if they can trust her. Is she an Innocent they need to protect? Or will she lead them to their downfall?
1. In Place and Time

A/N: Hey everyone! Wow. So this is my first new Charmed fan fiction in over 5 years. Kind of odd, but exciting! This first chapter is kind of a prologue-type thing. It's only about 2 Microsoft Word pages, so it's short for me. But subsequent chapters will be longer (my usual is 4-5 pages).

I'm seriously excited about this fic. It's similar to my usual theme, but also very different (I know that's vague – sorry! Don't want to accidently give anything away!). I really hope you all enjoy it! So, please read, review and – above all – ENJOY!

**PS:** I AM working on the **Surrender to Fate** sequel! It's called **When Fates Collide** and I'm only 3 chapters in, so I don't think it will be up anytime soon, but hopefully you guys enjoy this in the meantime!

...

"You have to go. You know you can't stay here."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No, I can't leave you. Please don't ask me to!"

He gripped her cold hands in his. "You aren't safe here, Marni. You have to go." His voice was firm and urgent; they were running out of time.

Marni's lip quivered as she fought the tears. But it was no use. "What if I never see you again?"

"Don't think that way," he said firmly. "I promise, I'll make things right and I'll bring you home."

"What if you can't?" she argued. "What if he kills you?"

He winced, as if her question physically hurt him. "I won't let that happen. Do you trust me?"

She hesitated, biting her lip to stifle her sobs. Finally, she nodded. "With my life."

"Then trust me when I say you'll be safer there," he said firmly. "Here, you'll constantly be in danger, and I won't be able to fight knowing he could use you against me at any time."

She took a shaky breath, blinking furiously to clear her blurry vision. "Then... Then, I'll do it. I'll go. But you better stay safe," she demanded.

He chuckled. "I will. He won't hurt me," he said confidently.

He dropped her hands, pulling a piece of white chalk out of his pocket. They stood in an alley, and he put a hand to the stone wall of the building before them. It was nighttime; the moon was full, and shone bright. Even the stars were twinkling brightly, almost mocking him and what he had to do.

But he knew they did not have a lot of time. He had to work quickly, before they were caught. So, he set to work drawing the ancient symbol on the side of the building. He was careful to make the lines straight, perfect. He connected them as precisely as he could, with as steady a hand as he could.

When he was done, he stepped back to admire his work, and pocketed the chalk again. He turned to Marni and stared at her, trying to hide his fear and desperation from her.

"Don't forget to take your potion every day, at the same time each day, or it will wear off," he reminded her.

She nodded, pocketing three vials of dark red potion. She grabbed his hands again, not wanting to let go. "I know, I will."

"And remember, you can't tell them who you," he warned. "They can't know, for your sake and for theirs. You won't be safe if they know."

Marni nodded again, to indicate she understood. She couldn't speak; she was afraid if she did, she would begin to cry again.

"I promise, I'll bring you home when it's safe," he reminded her, leaning in and kissing her as if it was the last time he would ever kiss her again – and it might very well be, if things didn't go according to plan.

They separated, and he faced the wall. He held his hand out, and recited the spell:

"Hear these words, Hear the rhyme

Heed the Hope within my mind

Send me back to where I'll find

What I wish in place and time."

He stepped back as the symbol sketched on the building wall began to glow a bright blue. This was it. He glanced back at Marni, holding his hand out to her. She stepped up to him, slowly, hesitating. She didn't want to go; she didn't want to leave him even though she knew she had no choice.

"We'll be together again," he promised. "Soon."

She nodded, and gave him once last kiss. He stepped back and she moved forward, toward the wall and the glowing portal that would take her to safety.

She glanced back at him, and he smiled reassuringly, despite the pain and uncertainty he felt inside at seeing her go.

She took a deep breath, fingering the ring on her left hand. Finally, without hesitation, she stepped forward, into the portal.

It closed behind her, leaving him alone. He stared after her, even after she was long gone, and silently prayed that she would be safe.


	2. Now or Never

A/N: Hey everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying this new fic so far! I know the first chapter was short and uneventful, but it will start picking up now. Promise!

CharmedMoon84: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

Semper Fi Witchlighter: Yup! Very mysterious! You know me ;) Why would speculating on your theories be unfair with this fanfic? You do it with Surrender all the time and I love it cause it gives me a good laugh! Sorry, that sounded mean, haha. But you know what I mean! Glad you enjoyed the evil cliffhanger :)

Okay, onward and upward to chapter 2! Read, review, and – above all else – enjoy!

...

When Marni stepped through the portal and emerged on the other side, the alley was mercifully empty. It was daylight, though, and she had to figure out her plan. They hadn't discussed what her cover story would be; there hadn't been time.

She closed her eyes, seeing him in her mind. Their last night together had been happy and normal. That peace was quickly shattered, though, when he awoke her around three in the morning, urging her to get up and dressed; they had to hurry and go, before it was too late.

"_Go where?" she had asked, moving quickly to get dressed, glancing at him anxiously once in a while._

"_I need to send you back to the past," he had said bluntly. He didn't bother trying to soften the blow; how could he? They didn't have much time, and he had to convince her of the urgency._

"_What?" She had demanded, pausing in her mad dash to dress. "Why? When? How far back into the past?"_

"_I don't have a lot of time to explain, Marni," he had said firmly. "I'm sending you about twenty years back."_

_Marni did the math in her head. "But he'll be..."_

"_I know," he said sharply, cutting her off. "Believe me, I know the timeline. Look, he's after you, okay? He'll come for you and he'll use you to get to me. I won't let that happen."_

Marni opened her eyes, scanning the alley. She forced back the tears that were threatening to fall. She took a deep breath, fingering her ring. She began to walk out of the alley, but paused and glanced down at the shiny diamond. It killed her to take it off, but it would cause them to ask too many questions. She winced as she slid the ring off, pocketing it.

Outside the alley, a large neon sign loomed on the building: **p3**. It wasn't lit right now, since the club was closed. She had a feeling Piper would be inside, though. She often was, doing stock and inventory, or otherwise preparing for the clubs opening later in the evening.

Marni pondered the idea of approaching Piper first. It seemed the most logical, but Piper was also the more suspicious of the Charmed Ones. She would have lots of questions; questions Marni likely could not answer.

The front door slowly opened. Marni ducked behind some parked cars, watching the entrance with caution. Piper appeared, arms full of books, her shoulder pressing her phone to her ear.

"Well does he have a fever?" she asked, pausing to listen to the person on the other end of the line. "Well, if he has a fever he has to go to the doctor, Leo... No, I don't think you should try to heal him! His immune system, it needs to get used to fighting these kinda of things. Okay, well... Of course I'm concerned about his health, Leo. So take him to the doctor! I'll be home as soon as I can... Okay, yeah, bye." She hung up, looking frustrated. She stalked to her car, threw the books in, and made her way to the driver's side. She paused, sighing, and stalked back to the club.

Marni frowned. Leo would be gone with Wyatt... So Paige would likely be home alone, if Phoebe was working in the office... She hadn't decided yet which of the sisters to approach, but she knew she needed Piper out of the way. She glanced at Piper's car, focusing. She reached her right hand out, making a fist and turning her arm at the same time.

When Piper came back out of the club and got in the car, her cry of frustration confirmed that she wouldn't be a problem for a few hours.

...

Marni was halfway to the Bay View Mirror when she felt the cramp in her gut. She staggered to a stop, placing her hand on her belly. She took a deep breath before walking again. When she was practically outside the door of the newspaper, the cramp hit again, and she staggered into the side of the building, grimacing.

"What's going on?" she mumbled to herself, placing a hand on her belly again. She sucked in a few deep breaths, and the pain subsided.

"Are you okay?" Someone asked, concern in their voice.

Marni glanced up. Phoebe. She looked like she was on her way out – Maybe going to help Piper with her car problems?

"Are you hurt?" Phoebe asked, stepping closer, hands out, to help steady the young girl.

Marni jerked back out of Phoebe's reach. "I... Yes, I'm fine."

Phoebe frowned. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."

Marni nodded, scrambling for something to say. "I'm probably just dehydrated," she said with a shrug. "But... Thanks."

Phoebe nodded, not completely believing it. "Can I do something for you? Get something or call someone?"

"No..." Marni hesitated, wondering if she could approach Phoebe. She seemed concerned and helpful enough. But could she be trusted? Would she ask too many questions? But how could she approach Paige now? It would definitely look suspicious if Paige told Phoebe about her.

"Well... If you're sure..." Phoebe hesitated, feeling guilty for leaving the girl alone, but she had to go help Piper. She turned to leave, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind.

"Phoebe, wait!" Marni blurted.

Phoebe turned, narrowing her eyes. "How do you know my name?"

Marni tried to keep her expression neutral, and quickly pointed at the billboard for Ask Phoebe across the street.

"Oh," Phoebe said, chuckling, feeling stupid. "Right. I... Right, that's me, Ask Phoebe."

Awkward silence followed; Marni was silent because she still wasn't sure how she should approach this. She wished they had come up with a better cover story; Phoebe because she felt like a complete idiot. She couldn't explain that being a Charmed One made her super cautious, so she had basically just embarrassed herself in front of a complete stranger. Great.

"Well..." Phoebe began, chuckling, brushing it off. "If you're sure you're okay..." She pointed at her car, motioning to leave.

"Actually..." Marni bit her lip. "I'm not okay."

Phoebe paused, turning back to the girl. "Do you need an ambulance? Can I call someone for you? Your parents or something?"

Marni took a breath. This was it. She really had no choice now. It was now or never.

"No," she began hesitantly. "I need... your help. You and your sisters."

If Phoebe hadn't been suspicious before, she was now. "I don't know what you mean. How could we help you? We don't even know you."

"I know who you are," Marni finally said, not feeling well and sick of this game already. She wanted to go home. But she couldn't, and she would just have to follow this through.

"Of course you do," Phoebe said with a laugh. "I'm Ask Phoebe."

Marni shook her head. "You, Piper, and Paige. You're the Charmed Ones."

Phoebe's smile faltered. "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, Phoebe, you do," Marni said firmly, though not unkindly. "You're the Charmed Ones, and I need your help."

"With?" Phoebe demanded.

"A demon," Marni finally replied. "A demon is after me."

Well, it was close enough to the truth. And it definitely got Phoebe's attention.


	3. Visions

A/N: Hey everyone! Glad everyone is enjoying the fic so far!

**Anouki90:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying :)

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Haha, yeah. Marni is one of my favorite characters that I've written in a long time, too. Nope, not short for anything. I first heard it in relation to a character in the Disney movie Halloweentown and fell in love with it. It's also Brit Robertson's name is Scream 4.

**GirlOnFire33:** If I told you that, I'd have to kill you... – Serious, firm glare. – Nah, just kidding! Lol. But seriously, you'll find out who everyone is in upcoming chapters! Promise!

So, I see from the story tracker that a LOT of people are reading this. That makes me really happy and I hope everyone is enjoying it so far! Please, please review! I love hearing feedback and getting comments and questions. It's the best part of writing – kowing someone is truly enjoying it.

So, read, review, and enjoy!

...

"Start explaining. Now." Phoebe demanded, crossing her arms.

"Right outside your office building?" Marni asked skeptically. "Do you really think that's a great idea?"

Phoebe scowled, but she knew the girl was right. That didn't ease her suspicions, though. More often than not, Phoebe had a vision when an Innocent was in trouble. She hadn't seen this girl coming, and it made her wonder if the girl was an Innocent, or possibly a demon in disguise.

"Fine. You're right," Phoebe admitted grudgingly. "Then we go back to the Manor."

"No," Marni snapped. She regretted it immediately. But she couldn't go there, not yet. The Manor was their stronghold. If she went willingly, she'd be weaker there, and she would be at their mercy. She had to gain their trust before she let them drag her to the Manor, or they could easily find out she was lying. Well... technically, she had been honest so far. Mostly.

"Okay..." Phoebe said, eyes narrowing. "Why not?"

Marni fished for a reply, but couldn't think of one. She looked away from Phoebe, cursing her stupidity.

Phoebe took that moment to lunge forward, hand out. But Marni was fast, and she spun out of Phoebe's path before Phoebe could touch her for a vision. Phoebe looked annoyed, and even more suspicious.

"If you're really an innocent," Phoebe said, "Then you need to give me a good reason why you don't want to go to the Manor. My sisters and I can't help unless you let us help."

Marni weighed her options, finally shaking her head and taking a step back. "I can't... I'm sorry... This is not working out how I thought it would..." With that, she took off at a run.

"Wait!" Phoebe yelled, her heart sinking. But the girl was already gone, and Phoebe knew she would never catch up to her. But now she regretted her suspicions – If the girl was a demon, she likely would have attacked when Phoebe refused to believe her story. The fact that the girl had run away... Phoebe was almost certain now that she was an Innocent. And she had scared the poor girl off.

...

Marni came to a stop several blocks away, panting. She doubled over, hands to her legs, trying to catch her breathe. It took several minutes, but she was finally able to stand up straight. She hesitated before taking off again, this time at a walk; she was confident she was far enough away from Phoebe that she wouldn't be caught.

But she was definitely busted. How could she possibly approach the Charmed Ones now? They would be suspicious of her now, and keeping her secrets would be even harder. Defeated, she took her ring out of her pocket and examined it with a frown.

"I'm sorry... I've let you down," she murmured, sniffling. She placed the ring back in her pocket and kept going, with no destination in mind.

...

"So she just took off?"

Phoebe nodded at Piper. "Yup. I couldn't have stopped her if I'd tried."

Paige frowned. "But why would she come to you for help, and then run? That doesn't make sense."

"Maybe she was scared," Phoebe said, shrugging. "She looked young, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Who knows what she's been through? She said a demon was after her, and she didn't look well."

"Or she could have been lying," Piper pointed out. "You said she was acting very odd. Our instincts are usually pretty accurate."

Phoebe shook her head. "But after I... scared her off... I felt like I was wrong, like I should have believed her."

"Well, didn't you get a read off her?" Paige asked, referring to Phoebe's newly acquired empathy power.

"Nope," Phoebe replied. She scrunched her face. "Come to think of it... I couldn't read her at all. Nothing. And she wouldn't let me get close enough to get a premonition."

"Suspicious," Piper said firmly. She didn't trust the situation, not at all. Something wasn't right; even if the girl truly was an Innocent, the whole thing seemed odd to her. She had a feeling there was more to this girl's story.

"So how do we find her?" Paige questioned.

"I could try a spell..." Phoebe suggested. "We don't know anything about her, so scrying won't work. It's the best we've-."

Phoebe's words cut off with a gasp, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Phoebe?"

Phoebe opened her eyes, looking from Piper to Paige.

"I... just saw her."

"A premonition?" Paige asked skeptically. "But you didn't even touch anything."

Phoebe shrugged, throwing her hands up. "I know. But I saw her at P3, being attacked by a demon." She paused, concern in her voice. "He had her cornered."

...

"Come on out, little girl," the demon chuckled. "I'll play nice, I promise."

"Yeah, right," Marni grumbled, hiding behind the bar. Every time she heard the demon move, she slid across the floor in the opposite direction.

The demon formed a fireball in his hand, inching closer to the bar – the only place she could possibly be hiding – and threw it. It hit the side of the bar, knocking a bar stool over and scorching the side.

Marni jumped, falling onto her butt. She threw her arms behind herself, trying to soften the blow. She was so uncoordinated, however, that all this did was cause her to slide onto her back, contorted in a position no human should ever attempt.

She groaned, pushing herself back up. The demon stood before her, grinning.

"I just want your powers," he assured her, in the sweetest voice a demon could muster. "It won't hurt a bit." He quickly formed another fireball and threw it at her.

She yelped, ducked, and rolled. But the fireball grazed her upper arm, and the impact sent her flying backwards. She shrieked, hitting the wall with a thump. She coughed as the dust settled around her, and looked up to find the demon grinning down at her.

She was trapped. She cowered, arms crossed over her stomach, tucked into as tiny a ball as she could. Tears filled her eyes. He had sent her back to be safe, and here she was, about to be killed by a demon – the fate that awaited her at home. How ironic.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!"

Marni and the demon both jumped, looking up at the sound of Piper's voice. Before the demon could react, she blew him up.

Marni stared at the sisters, wide-eyed. She was dirty and dusty. Her upper right arm was burned from the fireball, and she was pretty sure she had twisted her left wrist when she was flung into the wall.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked in concern, stepping closer.

Marni scrambled backwards – but it did not good, since she was already backed into a wall.

"Whoa," Paige soothed, hands up in front of her. "We won't hurt you."

Marni winced, trying to push herself up from the floor, eyes darting from the Charmed Ones to the exit stairs. But her heels slipped in the debris, and she went back down.

"Here," Paige said, jumping forward and holding her hand out to help the girl up.

Marni hesitated, but only for a second before she relented and took Paige's hand. With Paige's help and the support of the wall, she managed to stand.

"Fancy seeing' you here," Phoebe finally commented, giving Marni a look. Marni looked away from her, almost ashamed. "You ran away earlier, before I could help you."

Marni shrugged. "I don't think you can help me," she mumbled.

"Why don't you let us be the judge of that," Piper said, crossing her arms. "We can't help you if you don't let us."

"Come back to the Manor with us," Phoebe said, trying to keep her tone light so as not to scare the girl away again. "We can bandage you up, and you can tell us who – or what – you're running from."

Cautiously, Marni nodded. "Okay..."

Paige took Marni's hand, then Piper's. Phoebe took Piper's hand, giving Marni some space; the last time she had tried to take the girl's hand, she had run. Once everyone was together, Paige orbed them back to the Manor.

Marni took a seat on the wicker bench in the sunroom, while Paige and Phoebe stood before her, watching her like a hawk. Piper has gone into the kitchen to get the first aid kit.

"Okay," Paige said to Marni. "Start talking."


	4. Smoke Screen

A/N: Hey! Glad everyone is enjoying so far!

**GirlOnFire33:** Haha :) Glad you're enjoying! Usually, my chapters are 4-5 pages long on MS Word and I post every 1-3 days. That will be the average. You can also Follow/Favorite the story, and then I believe you get an email notification when I update.

**Joy:** Awww, thank you so much! I appreciate that! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, as well as my other stories. You'll find out the answer to your question in the next few chapters, promise! :)

**sassytxnmama:** I'm glad you enjoyed Surrender to Fate! And yes, I'm working on the sequel as we speak. I'm a little writer-blocked, but hopefully it will come along nicely. Hmmm. Good theories! You'll just have to wait and see ;)

**BY THE WAY: **To those of you who have **(recently) **read and reviewed some of my older stories: I don't often go back and check the reviews on those. But I realize now that a lot of people have been reviewing them lately, and I'll try to check more often. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone who has read/reviewed those stories! You're support means so much :) Thank you!

PS: I love hearing from you guys! So always feel free to PM me if you have additional comments/questions/etc

Okay, here we go! Please read, review, and enjoy!

...

"What do you want to know?" Marni asked flatly, watching while Piper cleaned her burn with a gel that stung, but also and had a cooling sensation.

"Ah, well," Piper remarked, "Your name would be nice."

She looked up at Piper. "Marni."

"Is that like Cher? Or you do have a last name?" Piper quipped.

"Cooper," she replied, an edge to her tone.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Phoebe said with a smile.

Marni said nothing. Piper wrapped the burn in a bandage and shut the first aid kit. They didn't have anything for her wrist, which she had simply landed on wrong; she would have to let that heal on its own.

"Who's after you?" Paige finally asked, when it became obvious that Marni wasn't going to tell them anything without prompting.

"A demon," Marni said simply. And technically, it was the truth.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes at the girl. "Right. I got that. Care to elaborate?"

"I can't," Mari snapped.

"Hey," Piper scolded. "Watch that tone."

Marni sighed but grumbled an apology.

"Look," Paige said firmly "We can't protect you if you don't tell us everything."

Marni looked away, down at the floor. He had told her to say as little as possible, to not even say she was from the future – if it was at all possible. The less information she gave up, the better.

"Okay, this is ridiculous," Piper said, throwing up her hands in frustration. "Why don't we just Truth Potion her?"

Marni's eyes widened in fear, and she bolted off the bench, making a beeline for the front door. Paige acted quickly, orbing to the front door and getting there just a few seconds before Marni.

"Nice one, Piper," Phoebe scolded.

"What?!" Piper demanded. "She doesn't want to talk and I don't have the patience. I've got an infant who is minutes away from waking up from his-." The baby monitor lit up, and the sounds of a crying baby came through the static. Piper sighed. "Can you handle this?" At Phoebe's nod, Piper made her way upstairs.

Marni backed away from Paige, then turned tail and headed for the kitchen. But Phoebe was almost directly behind her. Marni skidded to a halt and looked from Paige to Phoebe, like a deer caught in headlights. This was when she wished she could orb, teleport - god, even shimmer.

"Calm down," Phoebe soothed. "It's okay, you're safe."

"Piper just... Doesn't really have a lot of patience," Paige said by way of apology.

Marni looked from one sister to the other, then bolted towards the living room, with the intention of scooting through the sunroom and then into the kitchen, but Paige blocked her at one end of the sunroom, and Phoebe at the other.

"Look, I know you're scared," Phoebe said gently. "We won't use a potion on you, okay? I promise."

Paige gave Phoebe a questioning look, but Phoebe shook her head at her sister. Paige shrugged, crossing her arms.

"How can I trust you?" Marni demanded.

"Oh, I don't know," Phoebe replied sarcastically. "Trust goes both ways, and you've given us so many reasons to trust you so far. By default, you just have to trust us."

"Not to mention, you came to us," Paige pointed out.

Marni chewed on her lip, debating her options. But he had sent her to them and he had trusted she would be safe; she had to believe that.

"I... Can't tell you everything," Marni began, "because I'm... I'm from the future, and saying too much could alter the timeline irreparably."

Phoebe and Paige were struck dumb by this proclamation. They stared at each other in shock. This, truly, had not been what they were expecting her to say.

"O...kay..." Paige said slowly.

Phoebe hesitated before speaking, choosing her words carefully. "Why did you travel here from the future? Is the demon you're running from... Is the demon from the future?"

"The demon is from the future," Marni replied, purposely avoiding the first question.

"Nice selective hearing," Paige griped, giving Marni a look, which Marni returned.

"Okay, so wait... If you traveled from the future to now – to us, here – then why can't you tell us why?" Phoebe questioned, confusion etched on her face. "I mean... Wouldn't coming to the past indicate you want to change the past? So why worry about changing the future?"

Marni took a minute to digest Phoebe's confusing question. "Right... Well, if I got that all... The answer is, maybe I'm not here to change the future."

Paige and Phoebe exchanged looks.

"Ah... Why else would you come to the past?" Paige asked.

"There are other reasons." Marni didn't bother to elaborate. She couldn't, really.

"Did we get answers?" Piper called as she stepped back into the room, a sleepy-looking Wyatt in her arms.

Marni took an involuntary step backwards, away from Wyatt, just as he put his force field up around himself and Piper.

"Okay, vanquish her," Piper said, not even a heartbeat later. "Now, chop, chop."

Eyes wide with panic, Marni quickly mumbled some choice words, and thick white smoke filled the room.

When the smoke cleared – Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all coughing and waving their hands in front of their faces – Marni was gone.

Phoebe threw her hands up in frustration. "Piper!"

"Don't 'Piper' me," Piper grumbled. "Wyatt's force field equals bad person. So, clearly we can't trust her."

"Clearly," Paige said sarcastically.

"Hey," Piper said firmly.

Phoebe rubbed her temples. "Piper, we don't know that. Wyatt puts up his force field when he doesn't want a bath."

Piper scowled.

"Look," Phoebe said, softer now. "I can't explain it... My empathy power doesn't work with her, but my instinct is saying to trust her. When have our instincts ever failed us?" At this, her sisters gave her an 'Are you insane?' look, and she waved them off. "Okay, okay. But still..."

Piper scrunched up her face in guilt. "Okay, fine, you have a point. But now we have to find her again." She felt guilty – slightly... A little... Maybe. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

"I have a feeling," Phoebe replied, "that she'll find us. But next time, we need to be prepared."


	5. All For Nothing

A/N: Hey guys! I'm loving the feedback! Keep it coming!

**sassytxnmama:** So absolutely, typically Piper! That's why I loved doing that part :)

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** I know Marni seems a little... wimpy, to put it lightly, but I promise she has her reasons and you'll find out soon! Thanks! Glad you like the way I portrayed the sisters :)

**ObsessedwReading:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying so far!

**Joy:** Isn't it just like tag? And even Marni acknowledges that in the opening of this chapter! Glad you're enjoying!

Okay, so the storyline will start to pick up now. I hope everyone continues to enjoy! Please read, review (please! I'm beginning you! Haha, just kidding. But seriously, I love the feedback and I'm open to constructive criticism, as well) and, as always and above all else, ENJOY!

...

Marni wandered aimlessly, until it got too dark and too dangerous – even for a witch – to be out on the streets of San Francisco. When that happened, she made her way to P3. She found the hide-a-key Piper kept, and punched in the code to disarm the security system.

Once inside, she settled into Piper's office, curling up on the couch. The leather was cold, and she rubbed her arms to keep warm.

She pulled the ring out of her pocket, and fingered it, moving it so the diamond caught the light. She slipped it on her left hand, and felt instantly comforted. It was her only link to him, and it gave her a little more hope.

She had to figure out her next move, or all this would be for nothing; leaving him, leaving home, and risking the future – all for nothing.

She knew she couldn't keep playing this game of tag with them, giving them small bits of information, then jumping away and running. But she knew they would demand the truth from her – or they would simply trick her into telling them with a spell or potion. She couldn't let that happen, because then she would tell them way more than she ever could. At the very least, maybe she could give them the bare details, enough to satisfy them, and then they'd back off.

She doubted it, and she knew she needed a better plan. She stared aimlessly at the ceiling, debating her every option, but she knew she was backed into a corner. Not for the first time, she cursed him for not coming up with a better cover story. But she knew part of that was her own fault, for the way she had approached Phoebe.

She thought back to every encounter she had had with the Charmed Ones so far, wondering what she could have done differently. And wondering, at the same time, what she had done wrong.

"I can't screw this up," she said firmly, resting a hand on her stomach. "I can't let it all be for nothing."

"All what?"

Marni jumped, rolling off the couch and moving immediately into a defensive stance.

"Whoa," Piper said, hands up in front of her. "Easy there."

Marni tensed, watching Piper carefully for any signs of attack - the smallest movement, or a twitch of her hands.

"Marni, calm down," Piper soothed. "I'm just here to talk. Promise. No potions, no powers, no magical manipulation."

Marni stayed tense for a moment longer, considering. She nodded slightly and eased her posture, but still stayed on alert.

"Phoebe and Paige filled me in on what little you told them," Piper began immediately, not one for hesitating or beating around the bush. "I want to know more."

Marni shook her head. "Why can't you just accept that I'm an Innocent who needs help?" She asked bitterly, crossing her arms like a sullen teenager.

Piper shrugged. "We've been screwed too many times."

That shut Marni up. She looked away from Piper.

"Look, okay, if you really are an Innocent, then you need to talk to me. I can't help you if you don't." Piper crossed her arms, mirroring the younger girl's stance.

Marni nervously fingered her ring, trying to decide her next move. Piper noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye and zeroed in on the ring.

"Husband?"

Marni, startled, gave her ring a wide-eyed glance before pulling it off and pocketing it. To Piper, she said, "Fiancée."

Piper nodded. "Congrats. And... Is he still in the future?"

"Yes," Marni replied evenly.

Piper motioned for her to say more. "And? What? He's not in danger?"

"He is." Marni's resolve finally broke, and her eyes glistened with tears.

Piper frowned, her tough Charmed exterior cracking... just a little... A tiny bit. "So why didn't he come?"

Marni looked away, chewing at her lip. "He sent me here to protect me."

"From the demon that's after you?" Piper asked knowingly. Marni nodded in reply. "Okay, so we're getting somewhere."

"I can't say anything else," Marni said quickly, looking Piper in the eye. "Look, I didn't approach this very well. I didn't know what to say, or how to do it. I'm sorry. But please, all you need to know is I'm in danger and I need the Charmed Ones' protection."

Piper stared at her for a long time, weighing her options. "Why did my son feel the need to put up his force field around you? And why can't Phoebe sense you? She's an Empath..." Marni frowned sullenly at Piper, but Piper threw her a shrug. "That's my price for helping you. Take it or leave it."

Marni rubbed her forehead in exhaustion and frustration. "I don't know why W- your son did that," she said, stumbling and catching herself. "And because I'm taking a potion to prevent it."

Understanding dawned in Piper's eyes. Before she could speak, Marni rushed on. "I know I don't have the right to ask, but please, don't force me to tell you anymore; no truth potions or truth spells or Phoebe Vision."

Piper narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to commit to that kind of promise, but studying the girl closely, she could see the fatigue in the circles under her eyes, and the way she swayed on her feet.

"Tell you what," Piper finally said. "You get one night: a hot meal, a warm shower, and a place to sleep. We can figure the rest out tomorrow."

Relief edged onto Marni's face, and her whole body relaxed. "Deal."

...

Marni stood under the hot water for longer than necessary. It chased away the chill and soothed her aches and pains. Finally, she dried off and changed into the pajama set Piper had lent her.

She stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. The trip to the past had worn her down; she had dark circles under her red eyes, and she looked pale. Her long chestnut hair looked dull and lifeless. She sighed, and made her way back to Phoebe's room. Phoebe had agreed to bunk with Paige so Marni could get a good night's sleep.

Phoebe sat on the bed, waiting for her. When Marni walked in, Phoebe stood. "I brought you some extra blankets." She motioned at the bed. "This room tends to get cold."

Marni nodded. "Thanks for, you know, letting me stay in your room."

Phoebe waved it off. "It's the least I can do, after how many times we accidentally chased you off."

Marni shrugged, as if it was behind them – though it definitely wasn't. "I didn't think any of this through," she admitted. "I just kind of jumped on you and it's my own fault for how things went down."

"Let's agree to disagree," Phoebe replied. They had all handled this wrong.

"Sure," Marni said with a nod. "So... Piper told you our agreement? One peaceful night?"

Phoebe nodded. "Yup. We keep our word," she said firmly, so there would be no doubt in Marni's mind. "You need to rest; you look exhausted. Holler if you need anything... Although, no false alarms, kay? Cuz, you know, screaming in the middle of the night usually indicates demons around here."

"Promise." Marni crawled into bed, snuggling in.

"Sweet dreams," Phoebe called back, as she closed the door on her way out.

Marni watched her go, an ache in her chest. "Sweet dreams," she murmured, shutting the light.


	6. It Will Be Okay

A/N: Hey guys! Glad everyone is enjoying this fic so far!

**ObsessedwReading:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

**sassytxnmama:** Never! Haha. You should know by now, first I need to drag it out a bit and let you guys wonder, and then I start spilling secrets.. Slowly!

**Joy:** It's a definite possibility! So wait and see! :)

Hey guys. So, I know a lot of people are reading this and that's amazing! I'd love to see more reviews come in. I love hearing what readers have to say and I'd love to get more feedback, whether it be positive or negative.

So, please read, please please review and, as always, ENJOY!

...

Marni awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and relaxed. She had slept her best sleep in months. Sun shone through the thin curtains on the window, and the room felt warm from the sun's rays. She smiled to herself, snuggling under the covers happily.

It took maybe ten more seconds before she realized where she was, and why. The smile fell from her face. She rolled onto her side, picking up the engagement ring from where she had placed it on Phoebe's night table. She turned it in her fingers, feeling the smooth band, the cut diamonds. She moved the ring back and forth so the light from the sun made the diamonds glint.

Guilt gnawed at her. She had no right to be this happy when he was still in the future, fighting for his life. Fighting for her life. She suddenly wished she had never come to the past... She should have stayed and fought. Even if she had died, she would have died by his side.

A knock at the door caused her to drop the ring, and it rolled part way under the bed. Startled, Marni scrambled for it, but the door opened before she could find it. She sat up in bed, eyes wide.

"Morning," Paige said with a smile, leaning against the doorframe. "Breakfast is downstairs. Eggs, bacon, sausage. Then, after you eat, we need to have a long..." Paige cut off as Mari jumped out of bed and bolted past her, slamming into the bathroom. "-talk," she finished lamely to herself.

Hesitantly, she knocked on the bathroom door. "Marni? Are you okay?"

Several seconds passed, then the flush of the toilet and the splash of water in the sink. "Fine," she called weakly through the door.

"If you're sure..." Paige said cautiously. "We'll be downstairs when you're ready." She wanted to question Marni more, but they were in a tentative truce with her, and Paige didn't want to rock the boat. She hoped Marni was okay, and that she would come when she was ready.

...

Marni stood, both hands gripping the sink for a long time, head bent down. She shivered slightly, though not because she was cold. She finally looked in the mirror, and was once again shocked by how sickly she looked. Even after a decent night's sleep, she still had bags under her eyes, her eyes were red, and she looked pale and sweaty.

She splashed some more cold water on her face, then retreated to Phoebe's room, where her clothing was freshly washed and laid out on a chair. She dressed slowly, trying to buy some time before she had to face the firing squad. She had told them all she could, and she didn't know what else to say or do. She could only hope they would ask the same questions so she could give the same answers, then move on.

...

When Marni padded into the dining room, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were all sitting around the table. They either hadn't eaten yet, or had already finished. But the food remained stacked on the table, looking hot and fresh.

"Sit, eat," Piper insisted.

Marni moved to the chair, then stopped abruptly, looking from one sister to the other. This, despite Piper's promise, had truth potion written all over it.

"I'm not hungry," Marni replied stiffly, crossing her arms.

"It's not poisoned," Phoebe informed her. "Or, potioned, I guess, in this case."

When Marni still looked wary, Piper added, "We keep our promises. No truth potions or truth spells. Just food. I promised you a hot meal."

Marni reluctantly sat down, but she only took toast with butter, and munched it slowly, taking tiny bites.

"Marni," Paige protested.

"I'm not very hungry," Marni replied with a shrug. "Honestly, has nothing to do with me not trusting you guys not to potion me. I'm just..."

"Sick?" Paige questioned, hinting at the incident upstairs earlier.

Marni swallowed her bite of food, placing it down. "Okay, so you gave me my one night and my one meal... Now what?" she asked, pointedly ignoring Paige's question. It was a mistake, because it put her back in the spotlight, she realized, her stomach dropping. But she had to move the topic away from anything dangerous. She had done that – for now.

"Alright, cut to the chase. We know you're from the future, and your fiancée sent you here to keep you safe from a demon," Piper began. "What we don't know is how we can help you. Why did he send you here? To this specific time period? To... well, to us."

"Isn't it obvious?" Marni asked. "He sent me to you three because the Charmed Ones are legendary. He knew you would keep me safe." She avoided Piper's other questions, taking another bite of toast.

"And the other questions I asked that you're dodging?" Piper asked, losing her patience.

Marni sighed, putting the food down on her plate. She licked the crumbs off her lip before she spoke. "You can't help. Getting you involved could mess up the timeline. I'm just here with you because you can protect me. You're not supposed to interfere though. The specific time period... I can't say."

The sisters exchanged uneasy glances. "Why send you to the Charmed Ones for help if we can't help? I mean, maybe we can vanquish this demon and then you can go home."

"It isn't that easy," Marni snapped, shaking her head. "This isn't just any demon. This demon is powerful. You won't be able to defeat him. My fiancée... He has a plan, okay? But it might take some time to execute."

"Look, I know you don't want to ruin the future or whatever," Phoebe said. "But it would really help if you would tell us more. We can't help you if we're left in the dark."

"I can't!" Marni snapped, storming out of the room.

"Temper tantrum," Piper grumbled.

...

(Two days later)

Marni tossed and turned, but sleep evaded her. Every time she shut her eyes, she saw Him. She had already gotten up several times; first, she had felt sick, and she had tossed up dinner. Then, she had needed water. Finally, she glanced at the clock. The glowing red numbers informed her it was 2am.

She sighed, tossing the covers off. She eased the door open and shut, tiptoeing as quietly as she could downstairs. She didn't want to wake anyone up, if she could help it.

Downstairs, she settled in the sunroom, staring out at the stars twinkling in the sky. She rested a hand on her stomach, forcing the tears back.

"It's going to be okay... It's all going to be okay," Marni said softly. "He'll fix this and we'll all be together again. I promise."

"Who are you talking to?"

Marni jumped, spinning around. Piper stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

"I didn't know anyone else was up," Marni said, ignoring the question.

"Wyatt needed a bottle," Piper said with a shrug, holding it up for Marni to see. "So, who were you talking to?"

Marni stared at the bottle, silent, then looked away. She chewed at her lip.

"Look Marni, we agreed to give you a night. We did. Several nights, actually." Piper walked closer, setting the bottle onto the end table. "You've given us vague pieces of information here and there. Mostly, you avoid our questions. I'm sorry, but we can't help you if you don't start talking. And if you don't start talking... You're going to have to leave."

Marni's eyes widened. "But... But I have nowhere to go," She cried.

Piper sighed. "I don't want to do it, but you're giving me no choice."

Marni chocked back a protest. What could she say?

Piper eyed her carefully, waiting for a reaction. "You can stay the night, obviously... But tomorrow, you need to go."

"He said I'd be safe with you," Marni protested, feeling numb.

"Who? Who is he? And who are you running from?" Piper demanded, though a gentle motherly tone took some of the edge off.

"I can't tell-." Marni's eyes went wide. "Piper..."

"What?" Piper asked, frowning.

"Piper, down!" Marni cried, shoving Piper aside.

Piper hit the ground, landing hard on her hand. She slid into one of the end tables, sending a lamp shattering to the floor. She felt something twist in her wrist.

"Never wanted her," someone said with a chuckle.

Piper flipped over, scrambling to her feet just as a demon let loose an arrow in Marni's direction. She tried to dodge, but she wasn't fast enough. It pierced the ride side of her stomach, sending her sprawling to the floor.

Piper's eyes went wide. She quickly threw her hands up at the demon, but he didn't blow up. He chuckled and shimmered out.

"Marni!" Piper ran to Marni's side. "Leo!"

"What's going on?"

"Oh my god..."

Phoebe and Paige ran to Piper's side.

"What happened?"

"Demon," Piper said, hovering over a groaning Marni. "Leo, damn it!"

"L-Leo can't help..." Marni stuttered.

"A Darklighter arrow?" Phoebe asked, examining the arrow sticking out of Marni's body. "She's a Whitelighter?"

Marni coughed, shivering. "No," was all she managed to say, before passing out.


	7. Gone

A/N: Hey guys! This is, like, my favorite chapter. So I hope everyone agrees and enjoys it, too!

**Anouki90:** Haha, thanks! I love my cliffhangers, so I'll take that as a compliment!

**Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black:** My lips are zipped! But... You'll find out very, very soon!

**Joy:** Oh yeeaahhh. Haha :)

**GirlOnFire33:** No worries at all! Hmmmm. Love hearing theories, and you'll just have to wait and see! Ahh.. Yes, yes, I'll chance the entire story to fit your theories! Haha :)

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** All I can say is... Muahaha. That is all.

**sassytxnmama:** That seems to be the consensus. Haha. Cliffhangers = evil.

So, again, this is really one of my favorite chapters. It answers a lot of questions, and I really hope you guys enjoy it, too!

PS: **SURRENDER TO FATE SEQUEL UPDATE: **I'm working on it, but it's slow going. So... I promise, it'll happen. I just don't know when :(

Kay, enough chit chat! Read, review, and enjoy!

...

After a few minutes, Leo gave up.

"What's wrong?" Paige demanded. "Why won't it work?"

Leo stood, shaking his head. "It's not Darklighter poison," he said, finally picking the arrow up off the floor and examining it. "I've never seen anything like this."

"So she's not a Whitelighter?" Phoebe questioned.

"I've only ever seen a Darklighter use an arrow like that," Paige commented.

"I don't know what it is... But I can't heal her." Leo frowned, staring at the arrow, scrutinizing it.

Piper brushed Marni's hair from her forehead. "Leo, she's burning up."

"Let's get her back up to my room, make her comfortable," Phoebe suggested. "Paige?"

Paige nodded. She took Marni's hand and orbed her to Phoebe's room.

"Leo, go to the Elders. See if they can make anything of that arrow and what it is," Phoebe suggested. He nodded and orbed out. "Piper? Sweetie, we need to go help Paige and check the Book of Shadows."

Piper nodded, almost in a daze. "Right..."

Phoebe took her sister's hand and gently guided her upstairs.

...

When Marni awoke, she felt disoriented. It took her a minute to remember where she was. Her lips were chapped, and her mouth felt like sandpaper. Her limbs felt heavy yet numb. She tried to sit up, but the movement caused the sensation of liquid fire coursing through her body. She hissed in pain, and sank back down.

"Hey there," Piper said, getting up from the chair across the room and moving to Marni's side. "Don't try to get up yet, okay?"

Marni swallowed heavily, her throat dry and itchy. She nodded, closing her eyes.

"Marni..." Piper paused. Marni opened her eyes again. "How are you feeling?"

"Peachy," she mumbled. Piper's expression fell. "I'm sorry," Marni said quickly. "I didn't... I didn't mean it like that."

Piper nodded. "Leo..." She cleared her throat. "He tried to heal you... But he couldn't."

Marni smiled, though it held an edge of defeat to it. "He won't be able to..." She licked her lips. "It's a future... poison," she tried to explain. She shivered, her eyes fluttering closed. It took her a minute before she could speak again. "The antidote is in the future."

Piper frowned. "I don't... I don't understand. That demon..."

Marni looked away. "He was sent from the future to kill me." She picked at the blanket, brushing hair wet with sweat out of her face.

"Why?" Piper demanded, eyes filled with shock. She took a breath. "I refuse to believe that we can't cook up a spell or potion to heal you."

Marni flicked her gaze back to Piper. "He personally made the poison... He has the antidote." She blinked back tears. "It will slowly kill me... Unless I go back there, I'll die."

Piper shook her head. "No, dammit."

Marni sniffled, closing her eyes again. She felt defeated. All of this had been for nothing.

"Marni?"

Marni opened her eyes, though it took some effort.

"I need to ask..." Piper hesitated. "When you were out, you were talking in your sleep..."

Marni's heart began to pound. Though it was likely from the poison, it was also partly caused by her panic. What had she said?

"You mentioned a name... Chris?" Piper asked cautiously.

Marni pressed her lips together, looking away.

"Who's Chris?" Piper questioned. "Is he... the demon you're running from?"

"No!" Marni said quickly, coughing. "No... Chris is my... He's my fiancée."

Piper nodded, finally feeling as though she was making progress. "And... Is he the father of your child?"

Marni's eyes widened. When she said nothing, Piper said, "You were... Saying it in your sleep. Telling your baby that everything would be okay. I put two and two together with how sick you've been the last few days, and the whole talking to yourself last night."

"Yeah..." Marni licked her lips, wishing for a glass of water, though she felt too weak to hold a glass. "Chris... He's the father." Marni placed a hand on her stomach. The arrow had pierced just slightly to the right of her stomach. "Although, I've probably lost her..." She realized, an ache in her chest. "The poison..."

Tears filled Piper's eyes. "We'll fix this. I promise." She brushed some hair out of Marni's face. "I'll be back, okay?"

Marni nodded, watching Piper go.

...

In the attic, Paige was flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"I can't find anything about anything," she said in frustration.

"We need that antidote," Phoebe said.

Piper had filled them in on everything Marni had said.

"How are we supposed to get it? " Piper asked, shaking her head. "Some evil future demon has it."

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in concentration. "What... What if we did a spell to summon this Chris guy to us?"

"How would that help?" Paige asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Well, maybe he knows the potion ingredients? Or maybe he can somehow get a hold of it." Phoebe shrugged. "All I know is, we can't do anything for her. He might be able to do something, at least."

"It's worth a shot..." Piper said doubtfully.

Phoebe grabbed paper and pen, and began scribbling furiously. She crossed things out, re-wrote things, and paused several times to reconsider. It took about fifteen minutes.

"Done." She beckoned her sister's over. "Not my best... But it will do."

Paige quickly set up the circle of candles. Once they were all lit, she moved back to Piper and Phoebe. Together, they chanted:

"Hear these words, Hear our cry.

We call to you, through space and time.

Bring to us the one we seek

From a future oh so bleak."

At first nothing happened. After what seemed like forever, though, white lights filled the circle. Suddenly, the light grew incredibly bright. It dimmed slowly, and when it was gone entirely, a young man stood before the sisters. He was tall and thin, with brown hair that flopped into his eyes. The look on his face was one of shock. He looked around the attic, down at the candles, then back up at the Charmed Ones.

When he spoke, he simply said, "What the hell?"

"Chris?" Piper asked, ready to start blowing things up if they had somehow summoned the wrong person.

"Who wants to know?" He asked defensively.

"You tell us," Paige quipped. "You're the one who sent your fiancée to us, correct?"

Chris frowned. Marni had told them? But his thoughts quickly turned to panic. "Is Marni okay?"

They exchanged uncertain looks. How could they explain?

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"My room. But she's-" Phoebe cut off, as Chris took off out of the attic.

"Okay..." Paige said slowly.

Piper frowned. "Wait a minute... How does he know where your room is?"

They exchanged concerned looks, and took off after Chris. They came to a stumbling halt just inside Phoebe's room. Chris was sitting beside Marni, stroking her face gently. He looked like he had tears in his eyes.

Mari didn't even stir. Her eyes remained closed, and she remained still. Chris turned to look at the sisters. "What happened?"

"She said it was a future demon," Phoebe explained. "Some kind of poison..."

Chris cursed, checking Marni over for wounds. He lowered the covers and lifted her shirt, finally spotting the white bandage. He cursed again.

"She said some big bad had the antidote," Paige said. "But we were kinda hoping you'd know what it is..." she trailed off at his pained expression.

"No, I don't," Chris said sullenly. "I can only guess at the ingredients." He hung his head, gripping Marni's hand.

"Chris?" Marni's voice was soft and week.

"I'm here," he said gently, leaning closer. "I'm here."

"How?" she croaked, tears slipping down her face. "I failed you... I'm so sorry!"

"No," Chris scolded her. "You didn't fail me, sweetie. I won't let Him win. We'll fix this. I promise."

Marni tried to respond, but she had no energy. She gasped, wincing in pain, then fell still.

"Marni?" Chris asked, shaking her gently. "Marni?" No response. He stood, stepping back. He cursed, punching the wall – so hard, his hand went right through it.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe ran forward, helping him pull his hand free. It was covered in blood, his knuckles cut up.

Chris yanked away from Phoebe, storming out of the room.

"Guys..." Paige said, from by Marni's side. When Piper and Phoebe looked at her, she shook her head. "Marni... She's gone."


	8. Picking on the World

A/N: Wow! Such backlash for last chapter! –Hides!-

**Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black:** Guess you gotta keep reading to see what happens, then!

**mahsa:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

**CharmedOpal:** That blows! Forgetting my log-in is what kept me away for 5 years. I hope that doesn't happen to you, too! Yeah... A lot of people figured it out. I think I'm getting predictable -_- Muahaha ;)

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** I... Ah... Meh... – Hides? – Lol.

**sassytxnmama:** Oh no! I hope you feel better fast!

**GirlOnFire33:** -Evil smirk and shrug. –

Enjoy, guys!

...

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige found Chris in the attic, flipping through the Book of Shadows. He slammed his hand down on the pages in frustration.

"The spell.. Dammit, it's not here." He paced.

"What spell?" Piper asked, trying to calm him.

"There's a spell to go back into the past," he explained absentmindedly, barely looking at them. "It's the only way to save Marni without going back to the future to get the antidote. And trust me, that's not an option."

"Okay... Well, do you remember the spell off the top of your head?" Paige asked.

Chris stopped his pacing, a look of concentration on his face. Finally, he nodded. "I'll go into the past and stop her from being attacked. Then I'll come back. Time should catch up with itself."

"You're going?" Piper asked, frowning. "Shouldn't someone go with you?"

Chris gave her a look. "If you saw yourself, what would you think?"

"Good point," Piper acknowledged.

Chris nodded, then went to work drawing the Triquetra on the attic wall. When he was done, he stepped back to admire his work. "This is a two-way portal. So don't disturb it while I'm gone." He spoke slowly, as if talking to children.

"Hey," Phoebe protested.

He gave them another look, shutting them up. He took a breath.

"Hear these words, Hear the rhyme

Heed the hope within my mind

Send me back to where I'll find

What I wish in place and time."

When the Triquetra glowed, he stepped forward, and jumped in.

...

"Do you think it worked?" Paige asked about fifteen minutes later.

Piper shrugged. "I'll go check on Marni. You two wait here for future boy."

Downstairs, Piper took a breath to prepare herself for what she would see. Then, she pushed open Phoebe's door.

Marni sat on Phoebe's bed, lacing her sneakers. She looked up at Piper's approach.

"Hey," Marni said cautiously. "I don't remember lying down for a nap..."

Piper let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding, and ran to Marni's side. She gripped the girl in a fierce hug.

"Uhm..." Marni frowned. "Piper...?"

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Piper exclaimed.

"What do you mean?"

Piper pulled back. "You don't remember?"

Marni shook her head. Before Piper could explain, the door was pushed open with such force, it slammed into the wall. Piper and Marni jumped.

"Chris?" Marni asked, eyes wide.

Chris sighed in relief, moving swiftly to the bed. "Thank god."

Piper moved out of the way, so Chris could sit and engulf his fiancée in a warm embrace.

"Uhm..." Marni said, shock causing her to stutter over her words. "Can someone please explain what's going on?"

...

"I can't believe that worked," Paige said in shock.

She, Piper, and Phoebe were downstairs in the sunroom. They had left Chris and Marni alone, so Chris could explain what had happened, and so they could have some privacy.

"I just don't understand any of it," Phoebe said, slightly suspicious. "I mean... Something just doesn't add up."

"Well, yeah," Piper agreed. "A lot of it doesn't add up. They obviously aren't telling us something."

"He knows his way around the Manor," Paige pointed out. "And he helped himself to the Book of Shadows."

"Like he'd done it before," Phoebe added. Piper and Paige nodded in agreement.

"Maybe now, we'll get some answers," Paige said with a shrug.

"I don't know..." Phoebe said, shaking her head. "He seems more tight-lipped than she is."

Piper frowned, staring in the general direction of the stairs and Phoebe's room.

...

"I'm so sorry, Chris," Marni said, for about the fifteenth time.

Chris shook his head, hugging her again. "Don't be. I'm just glad you're okay."

"But... I let you down," Marni argued. "I got myself killed... Well, temporarily. And the sister's know."

"They don't know everything," Chris pointed out. "As long as they don't know about Wyatt, or about who I am, we're still okay."

Marni sighed, shaking her head. "I screwed this up royally. Right from the beginning, they were suspicious of me."

"We weren't prepared," Chris agreed. "We should have had a better story prepared for you." His expression turned dark. "Our biggest concern is that Wyatt knew you were here... I can't figure out how he found out."

"This was all for nothing," Marni said miserably. "If he knows I'm here..."

Chris put his hand under Marni's chin, forcing her to look at him. "But he also thinks you're dead. So we're safe for now."

"No, we aren't," Marni shot back. "Because you still have to go back there, or he'll come looking for you next."

Chris was silent. Marni was right, but he didn't want to admit that and scare her.

"What are we going to do now, Chris?" Marni murmured, leaning into him. "We can't run forever. We can't jump around in the past for the rest of our lives."

"I don't know right now," he admitted. "But I think we have some time to think about that before he comes looking." He leaned in and gave her a reassuring kiss.

...

Finally, Chris and Marni made their way downstairs, holding hands. Marni leaned into Chris for support, feeling tired and sick - partly from 'morning sickness' and partly from the revelations of the last hour.

They found Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo down in the living room. They had just finished filling Leo in on what had happened while he had been gone in Elder Land. When Chris and Marni entered the room, everyone looked up and stared at them.

"Look, I think Marni basically told you guys everything she could," Chris said right away, cutting off the possibility of them asking any questions. "I sent her here to keep her safe. There's a great force of evil in our time, and he's after her. I knew the Charmed Ones would protect an Innocent."

"Why is he after her?" Phoebe asked. "What's so special about her? No offense," she added, shrugging at Marni.

Marni shook her head. "None taken."

Chris frowned. "He was trying to use her to get to me," he replied shortly. "So I figured if he couldn't find her, he couldn't use her." Unconsciously, his hand went to Marni's belly. Though unspoken, everyone knew he was trying to protect both his fiancée and his unborn baby.

"And why are _you _so special?" Paige asked, narrowing her eyes. "If he's so big and bad, what threat could you pose?"

"I refused to work for him," Chris snapped. "And so, I'm automatically against him in his eyes."

"And the punishment for working against him? Piper asked, though she was sure she knew the answer.

Chris stared straight into Piper's eyes. Seeing her again made him want to run into her arms, like he was a little kid again, and Wyatt was picking on him. Except future Wyatt wasn't just picking on him; he was picking on the world.

He licked his lips, and with a firmness and finality that said it all, he replied, "Death."


	9. Ragdoll

A/N: Hey everyone! Hope everyone is well!

**Guest (CharmedOpal?):** Well, maybe he does know and he's searching for her and hasn't found her yet? Because she's in the past. Or.. Maybe he doesn't know. I guess you'll just have to wait and see!

**sassytxnmama:** Hi mama's husband! Tell her I hope she feels better real soon! And I hope she enjoys this new chapter! Sending my well wishes!

**Joy:** Yess! For now... Muahaha

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** You scared me too! – Sad puppy face. – Lol. Mmmm, I know, I went a little soft there. And I also realized an inconsistency with that tonight. But I just wanted a quick fix that brought Chris in. Sorry! Wellll, Wyatt CAN come up with something better than that, but "Death" was enough to shock/scare the sisters, so that's why Chris said it. Plus, anymore than that would create WAY too many questions from the sisters.

**ObsessedwReading:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

So, update for **SURRENDER TO FATE SEQUEL... **I'm hitting terrible writer's block and I haven't written anything for it in... like, a week. Now, I don't want to discourage or disappoint you guys.. It WILL still happen. Just a little slower than I would have hoped.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this nice, shiny new chapter of Anywhere But Here! Enjoy!

...

That night, Marni and Chris climbed under the covers in Phoebe's bed. They had agreed that Chris should spend just one night before he went back to the future. It would give the 'Future Badass Demon' (as Piper liked to say) a chance to calm down, and maybe then he wouldn't kill Chris on site. Chris doubted it, but he humored them.

Chris shut the light off, and Marni laid her head on his chest, snuggling close. He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with a million different thoughts, ideas, and plans. All that mattered was keeping Marni safe, even if it meant turning himself over to Wyatt. The idea killed him, because he knew Wyatt wouldn't let him live; he would never get to see Marni again, would never get to hold their unborn child. But if giving himself to Wyatt protected Marni... he would do it.

"Chris?"

"Hm?" He stroked Marni's hair soothingly.

"What are we going to do?"

It was the same question she had asked earlier, and the same one going through his mind now.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "Whatever keeps you safe."

"Jackass."

Chris frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Keeping me safe might mean losing you," she replied. "I can't deal with that. I won't deal with that. We need a plan that keeps both of us safe."

"I don't have a plan like that," Chris said with a scowl. "And I'm more concerned about you and your safety."

"I don't think the sisters will let me stay here if we keep them in the dark much longer," Marni said, after a long moment of silence. "We need to start figuring this out. I can't stay here forever, even if they let me. This isn't my time, Chris. I don't belong here and I certainly don't want to stay here the rest of my life, pretending the sisters are complete strangers to me."

"Well, for now, that's exactly what you need to do," Chris said firmly. "They can't know, Marni. They can't know who you are or who I am. It isn't safe; it could change the future in ways we don't want it to change."

"Our future is hell," Marni snapped, pulling away from him. She perched herself up on her elbow, so she could glare at him. "I don't even know how I let myself get pregnant. I can't raise a child in that place. He'll kill her! Or worse, he'll enslave her. I can't let it happen. I can't, Chris!"

"I know!" Chris snapped, finally losing his patience. He turned to face her, his eyes blazing. "Don't you think I know that? I want to keep both of you safe! I want for us to be able to return to a future we can be proud of, to a place where practicing Good Magic doesn't get you killed. Believe me, I want our child to grow up safe, in a world that accepts her and allows her to do magic without fearing for her life."

Marni let out a sigh, lowing her head so her forehead rested on Chris's arm. "So how do we do that? How do we change things?"

Chris stared up at the ceiling, lips pressed together. "I don't know, Marni. But we'll figure it out."

...

Outside, Phoebe backed slowly away from her bedroom door, wincing when the floorboard creaked. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, really, but she had heard a lot of interesting information, some of which had her head spinning. She tiptoed back to Paige's room and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, I thought you were getting your eye mask?" Paige said.

"I was..." Phoebe said slowly, perching on the end of Paige's bed. "And then I overheard Marni and Chris talking..."

Paige looked up from her magazine, brows quirked. "Oh?"

"I didn't mean to," Phoebe insisted. "In the beginning, at least..."

Paige smirked. "Uh-huh. Right. So...?" she asked, prompting Phoebe to relay what she had heard.

"Well..." Phoebe began, filling Paige in on everything Chris and Marni had said.

"Wait, let me get this straight... They know us? Like, not just in the sense that they've heard of the Charmed Ones. But... really know us?" Paige asked.

Phoebe shrugged. "That's what it sounded like, at least. I mean, she said she wanted to be able to stop pretending she _didn't _know us... So..."

Paige frowned. "So how do we get them to admit that to us?"

"I don't know..." Phoebe sighed, putting her hand to her forehead. "But we need to do something... The future they described? It sounds... horrible. And I refuse to let it happen."

...

In the morning, when Piper, Phoebe, and Paige entered the kitchen, they were surprised to find Marni cooking breakfast. Coffee was brewing in the pot, and a stack of pancakes filled the platter beside her while bacon sizzled in another pan.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Phoebe asked suspiciously.

Marni turned to her with a confused smile. "I'm just trying to return the hospitality you showed me." She flipped the pancakes that were still cooking in the pan, then moved to the bacon and placed it on a platter. She turned to Paige with the platter of bacon and held it out.

"Could you take this into the dining room? The table is already set."

Paige frowned, but took the bacon and went to the dining room.

"The pancakes are almost done, so you two can go sit if you'd like." Marni removed the last few pancakes form the pan, and set them atop the stack. She moved around the kitchen like she knew where everything was.

Piper and Phoebe narrowed their eyes at each other, but moved into the dining room and took seats. Paige had taken a seat, and glanced questioningly at her sisters.

Chris, meanwhile, was pouring them all orange juice from a big glass jug. And when Marni entered the room, juggling pancakes and the coffee pot, he gave her a hand.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes while they loaded their plates with food and doctored their coffee up just right. Once everyone was seated and eating, though, the questions began again.

"What's with the little game of house?" Piper questioned, sipping her coffee.

Marni shrugged. "You guys took me in, gave me food and a place to sleep. As the Charmed Ones, it's your job to protect the Innocent. But you still didn't have to let me stay and you did. I never thanked you for that."

"Riiight," Phoebe said slowly, waiting for more. Because, there had to be more.

"Well, Marni can't expect to stay here for nothing," Chris finally said with a shrug. "I need to go back to my time soon, but she has to stay here in the past for a bit longer. And we were hoping you'd let her stay here."

"I can cook and clean and help with things around the house," Marni said, looking around the table at them. "I don't mind..."

"So... Does that mean we get more answers regarding who you are and what you're running from?" Paige asked.

Marni frowned at Chris, and Chris shook his head.

"Seriously," Phoebe said, frustrated. "Just tell us, okay? We know it will make the future screwy, but it sounds like you're future needs changing anyway."

"We can't," Marni frowned. "We can't just mess with the future like that. Yes, things need to change... But we can't change everything. That's not how it works."

"So you want your baby to become a slave?" Paige demanded.

Marni froze, fork midway to her mouth. It clattered to her plate and, horrified, she looked to Chris.

"What?" Piper asked, confused. "What about slaves?"

"We didn't get to fill you in," Phoebe replied, shrugging. "But, I overheard Chris and Marni talking last night..."

Chris's eyes widened in horror before he caught himself, and forced his expression to become one big blank. Under the table, Marni gripped his hand, trying hard to remember what they had discussed.

"You know us," Phoebe pushed. "And not just because we're the Charmed Ones. You _really _know us." She glanced at Marni. "Don't you?"

"Marni, don't," Chris said through gritted teeth.

Marni felt tears prick her eyes. She shook her head, gripping Chris's hand tighter.

"Marni..." Phoebe pushed, sensing the crack in Marni's armor. The more Chris pushed, and the more Phoebe begged, Marni showed signs of giving in and blurting out the truth.

"Marni... I'm so sorry," Chris whispered. He closed his eyes, looking pained, before he took his hand and twisted it in a fist. The move was loose and sloppy, like he wasn't putting much effort into it.

But it did the trick, because Marni's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she collapsed against him like a ragdoll.


	10. Going in Circles

A/N: Hey guys! Whoa, I haven't updated in, like, a long time. Eep :\ Sorry. Things got insane. I haven't been in a writing mood lately... I'm flailing with the Surrender to Fate sequel, and I haven't even written new chapters for this lately... I have through Chapter 13, and then I'm DOA for new material... :\

**ObsessedwReading:** Glad you're enjoying!

**Joel:** No, not at all! He used one of his powers. He used it in the Valhalla episodes, Season 6, Episodes 1-2 where he holds his arm up likes he's going to do a fist pump, and then he clenches his fist and turns it a little, and it chokes his opponent to death. But... That's not to say he just killed his fiancée either... You'll just have to see! ;)

**CharmedOpal:** Lmao. Seriously.

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Whoa with the Phoebe hating! Think about everything you said you hate... Doesn't that all sound like Phoebe things to do? Eavesdropping? Prying? Pushing to solve the mystery? Lmao you're violent with my characters lately.. It's funny :)

**Guest:** You're guess is verrryyy warm. Keep reading to find out more :)

And shout-out to **sassytxnmama:** I hope you're feeling better!

Enjoy, guys!

...

"What did you do to her?" Piper demanded, as Chris laid Marni on the couch in the living room.

"I'm protecting her," Chris replied firmly. "You keep pushing, and she's going to crack. And when that happens, all hell will break loose."

"I don't understand." Paige shook her head, frowning at Chris. "You sent her here because you knew we would protect her. Why won't you let us actually help? If you tell us everything, maybe we can help. End whatever this is, and make the future safe."

Chris laughed, bitter and filled with despair. "You really want to help? Honestly?"

"Yes," Phoebe said, her tone firm and sincere.

"Okay." Chris nodded, pausing and hesitating. He seemed as if he was about to tell them something major, and they dared not interrupt; they all feared that if they spoke, he would clam up again.

"Stop," Chris finally said. "Stop asking questions. Stop pushing. Stop demanding to know things that Marni shouldn't be telling you."

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige deflated. They were back to square one. It seemed as if they were going in circles.

"I have to go back. Marni has to stay here," Chris continued. "Stop making it harder on her."

"Fine," Piper said, crossing her arms. "We'll stop punishing her for your mistakes."

"Good, thank y- Wait... _My _mistakes?" Chris asked, scowling. "What does that mean?"

"You seem to know us very well. So you know how we work. And what you're doing to this poor girl? It's wrong. Making her lie and sneak around is wrong. The health of your baby should mean more to you, and the stress is going to kill them both."

Chris glared at Piper, fists clenched. "Knowing who we are could upset more of the future than we want changed. I know it's hard for a control freak like you, but you can't be in charge of every little thing. Marni can't be all open and honest with you. Deal with it."

Chris stalked out of the room and ran up the stairs.

"Future boy is a neurotic little ass," Piper grumbled.

"Where did he go?" Phoebe asked suspiciously.

"Your room? Anywhere to escape us, I guess," Piper sighed.

Phoebe frowned. "Attic... What if he's in the attic? He could be making a getaway!"

Paige wrinkled her nose in confusion. "He wouldn't leave Marni without saying goodbye or making sure she's okay."

"You sure about that?" Phoebe asked, before taking off after Chris.

"I'll stay with Marni," Piper offered. Paige nodded and orbed to the second floor, meeting up with Phoebe and charging the attic as a team.

By the time they burst into the attic, Chris had half his Triquetra drawn on the attic wall. He glanced at them, but continued what he was doing.

"You can't just leave," Phoebe said through gritted teeth.

"Watch me," Chris snapped, quickly completing his Triquetra and stepping back to admire his work.

"You aren't even going to make sure she's okay?" Paige questioned. "Make sure she wakes up?"

"She will," Chris said, turning back to the Triquetra, preparing to say the spell from memory again.

"How do you know?" Phoebe asked.

Chris frowned at them. "Because I do. I just put enough pressure on her to make her pass out. That's all. Look, she'll be safer with me gone and back in the future. If He has me, He might not come after her."

"And your unborn child?" Phoebe asked. "What is she supposed to say when your child asks where his father is?"

Chris scowled. "I'm hoping it won't come to that. But I've got to do something. I don't have many choices right now."

"You do, though!" Paige insisted. "You can trust us and tell us what's really going on. We can help."

"No, you can't," Chris said. "Trust me. This is like nothing you've ever faced before. And right now, you aren't capable of handling it. Believe me." Something in his tone stopped Phoebe and Paige short, and they couldn't answer right away.

Chris took a deep breath. "Just please... Keep her safe."

With that, he quickly said the spell; the Triquetra glowed, and he stepped toward it.

"Tell her... I'm sorry. And I'll try as hard as I can to come back to her." Chris's voice shook as he spoke the words. He turned away, so they couldn't see the tears in his eyes, and then he stepped through the portal. A moment later, and the portal had closed.

"Now what?" Paige asked sadly.

Phoebe sighed. "I... I'm not sure."

...

When Marni awoke, she was sore – and angry.

Being knocked out didn't erase her memories, and she knew what Chris had done.

"Where is he?" she demanded, sitting up on the couch quickly – too quickly. She groaned, closing her eyes and bracing her hand against the arm of the couch as the room spun violently.

"Whoa," Piper said, standing and walking over, hands out to steady her. "Easy. You were knocked out pretty good."

"I know I was," Marni snarled. "I'm going to kill him! He knows I hate that! I can't believe he... I'm going to kill him!"

"You can't."

Marni looked up, the room spinning again, and focused on Phoebe and Paige, who had just re-entered the room.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked, trying to remain calm so as not to irritate Marni further; her anger and anxiety were not good for her baby.

"He's gone," Paige said cautiously, wincing at the anger on Mari's face. "He lectured us and then opened the portal and took off... back to the future, I guess."

"We couldn't stop him," Phoebe insisted, as Marni's face twisted in fear and horror.

"He can't! He'll be killed!" Marni cried, her legs shaking.

"By the demon you're running from?" Phoebe asked; they were back to that same question, but she hoped that, in Marni's fury, she would accidentally reveal something useful.

"Yes, who else?" Marni snapped.

"Well, this demon... Would he really kill Chris?" Piper asked, catching on to Phoebe's logic.

Marni laughed bitterly. "Oh my god... How many times to I have to say this? _Yes_, He will not hesitate to kill Chris!"

"Why? Why is Chris so important to this demon? If this demon is so powerful, why would Chris matter?" Phoebe asked, pushing.

"Because He's Chris's brother," Marni snapped, "And He hates Chris! It's like sibling rivalry to the tenth power!"

Silence.

"His brother?" Paige asked, shocked. "Chris is related to a psycho demon?"

Marni's eyes widened as she realized what she had done, what she had revealed.

With a resigned look on her face, Marni sighed. "Crap."


	11. We won't Push For Now

A/N: Hey guys!

**sassytxnmama:** Nope! She folds under pressure! Lol. And hope you're feeling better!

**GirlOnFire33:** I'm glad! Interesting idea! Love it! :) We'll see – I haven't even planned ahead yet! Lol.

**CharmedOpal:** Lmao!

**Joy:** Yup! Once I let on that Chris was the fiancée, it was hard to keep the other stuff secret, lol. It made me a little sad because I LOVE cliffhangers and big reveals, but this one doesn't have as many since I brought Chris in. Glad you're excited!

**Lisa:** I'm evil that way :)

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Okay, argument won. Lol. I didn't mean for Phoebe to be unlikeable... I swear :\

Enjoy!

PS: I swear I'm trying to work on the Surrender to Fate sequel. But my brain is all writer-blocked :(

...

"Why would his brother want to kill him?" Phoebe asked with a frown. "I mean, I know brother's tend to have a lot of sibling rivalry... But killing each other over something?"

Marni slumped against the couch. She was grateful that, at least, the sister's didn't know who Chris's brother was... If they had, she truly would have stepped in it. Big time. And if Chris were still around, he'd kill her.

"It's... I can't explain it," she finally said. "Look, Chris... I want to slap him for knocking me out like that, but I get why he did it... I was ready to tell you guys everything, and – for the hundredth time – I can't. Please, can't you respect that?"

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige frowned at each other, communicating silently. Finally, Piper spoke.

"Look, Marni... what you're going through right now... It's a lot. And for the health of your baby, you need to try to stay calm and stress-free. Us demanding answers... It won't help you." Piper paused. "Eventually, you're going to need to be honest with us. But for now, we won't push. Is that a deal?"

Marni nodded reluctantly. She hated agreeing to tell them the truth, but Piper hadn't specified when, and she would definitely use that to her advantage.

...

**(TWO MONTHS LATER)**

"Good morning!"

Marni smiled at Piper as she entered the kitchen, Phoebe close behind.

"Coffee?" Phoebe asked, looking half asleep.

Marni nodded towards the coffee pot. "Just made some. Nice and strong, just like you like it." She turned back to the stove, flipping eggs and sausage.

"You are awesome!" Phoebe said with a content sigh, sipping from her coffee mug.

"Breakfast is almost done, too," Marni informed them. "Where's Paige?"

"She should be down here any minute," Piper replied, grabbing plates and setting the table. She grabbed orange juice from the fridge for Marni to sip.

Marni nodded, bringing the eggs and sausage over to the table. Already there was a giant stack of chocolate chip pancakes and some buttered toast.

In the last two months, Marni had settled in at Halliwell Manor. She was just over three months pregnant, and finally starting to show. She had gotten into a routine, getting up early and cooking breakfast for the sisters, then doing errands and cleaning for them while they were working. They had stopped drilling her for answers, and she finally felt at peace.

Well, mostly. She feared, every day, that she would never see Chris again. And she worried for the future – her baby's, as well as her own. She couldn't continue living in the past, but as of right now, she really didn't know if she had a future to go home to.

The front door creaked open, then slammed shut.

Phoebe frowned. "Are we expecting company?"

"No," Piper said with a small smirk. "That would be Paige letting her company out."

"Ohhh," Marni chuckled, taking a seat at the table. She gulped down a glass of orange juice, seriously missing her morning coffee fix.

Paige walked hesitantly into the kitchen, looking guilty. "Morning!" she said, false cheer in her voice as she made a beeline for the coffee.

"Not so fast missy," Phoebe said teasingly. "Who was that?"

"Oh, no one... Who wants more coffee?" Paige held the coffee carafe in one hand, and her coffee mug in the other, smiling.

"You're not getting off that easy," Piper said, pointing the butter knife at her.

Paige made a face. "But I kinda did..."

Piper's eyes widened, and Phoebe chuckled.

"So... Not good, huh?" Marni asked, snickering into her pancakes.

"No," Paige griped, slumping into a seat. "Oh well. Plenty of fish in the sea."

Silence descended upon the table as everyone enjoyed breakfast. Marni glanced up every once in awhile, relishing in the peace, tranquility, and family togetherness. She had never known this, and it was nice. It made her heart ache for Chris, but it was still nice.

Phoebe winced, feeling Marni's pain. She frowned, confused; she had never been able to get a read on Marni's emotions before. She glanced up at the girl, trying to concentrate on making the signal stronger, digging for other emotions and feelings.

Marni glanced up sharply, looking at Phoebe with wide eyes. She jumped up from the table and ran from the room.

"I thought nausea went away after the first trimester?" Paige asked, wrinkling her nose.

"It does..." Piper said, worry in her voice. "I should go check on her..." She stood, but Phoebe grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"It's not nausea," she replied grimly. "I think she's been taking a potion to block my Empath powers, and she forgot a dose..."

Piper frowned. "So that's why you never got a read on her."

Phoebe nodded. "She still won't let me touch her, you know. I think she's really scared I'll get a premonition off her."

Piper sat with a sigh. "I know I promised to leave her alone about everything until after her baby is born, and we should. But... Six months is a long time to wait for answers."

"The last two months have been going really good," Paige argued. "She's finally comfortable here, and I think she feels safe. And despite all this-" She said, gesturing with her hands to take in the scene and conversation, "-I think she trusts us and she's finally relaxing around us. If we try to get her to talk now, we could scare her off again."

"Paige is right," Phoebe agreed reluctantly. "Alright, I have to get to work or Elise is going to kill me." She stood, taking one last sip of coffee. "I'll see you guys later."

Piper stared after her before turning back to Paige. "I don't know... I know you guys are right. I just..."

"You're concerned," Paige filled in the blank. "I get it, Piper, I do. But we don't want to scare her. Not at this point. We've built so much trust to break it all now."

"You're right," Piper finally agreed. She signed and stood. "My turn to head off. P3 calls to me... I have some inventory and accounting to do. Will you be okay watching her?"

Paige nodded. They had agreed that, since she was often the only one home, she would be the unofficial baby-sitter for Marni. "Always. Go on, lady, get going. You're an orb away if I need you."

Piper nodded, turning to leave. She paused. "Oh, right, Leo has Wyatt for the day, so you don't have to worry. They're doing some non-magical father/son bonding things."

Paige nodded. "Got it. I'm good. Go."

Piper nodded and left.

Paige sighed and got up, beginning the task of cleaning up from breakfast. She was drying the dishes when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, and Marni smiled innocently at her.

"Everyone went to work? I didn't even get a chance to say good-bye."

Paige frowned, drying her hands. She leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "Right. You mean, you didn't want Phoebe picking up anything in your emotions, so you bolted and waited till everyone left to come back, right?"

Marni looked down, saying nothing.

Paige rubbed her temples, shaking her head. "Okay, fine. I get it. You still can't tell us anything."

Marni shrugged, a hand on her belly. "No, I really can't. I thought you three were going to lay off."

Paige frowned, ready to scold her – but she stopped herself just in time, deciding a scolding wouldn't get her anywhere with the young girl.

"You're right. We will," Paige nodded. "Honestly, we could help you if you told us more, but we said we wouldn't push and we won't."

Marni nodded. "Good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Paige said, parroting her tone of voice.

They stared at each other for a long time before Marni claimed fatigue and went upstairs to nap. Paige stared after her, a frown on her face and worry in her eyes.


	12. Premonitions

A/N: Hey guys! Hope everyone has been well! I've been super busy, so sorry for the lag in updating :\

**Joy:** You'll just have to wait and see! Oh, don't worry! There will definitely be more than 13 chapters! I've just only WRITTEN 13 chapters so far. Writers block :\

**sassytxnmama:** Good, I'm so glad! :)

**ObsessedwReading:** Thank you! Glad you're enjoying!

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Erm... I took her hostage! – Smirks. – Yeahhh, I'm trying to set it up for something big, so time jumping was a necessity. Uhm, nope. Not at all. Not a word – Zips lips. -

**Lisa:** Muahahaha... – Clears throat. –

**Debbie93:** Glad you're enjoying!

So, this is where it will start getting interesting... – Plays ominous music and sneaks away. –

Enjoy! And kindly read and review!

...

After several hours of answering letters, Phoebe took a breath, leaning back and blinking her tired eyes. She decided it was time to go through some mail and give her eyes a break from computer work. She dragged the relatively short stack of letters in front of her, but when she reached for the letter opener, a premonition hit her – like, literally, hit her. So hard, she fell out of her desk chair.

"Phoebe!"

Phoebe blinked several times, trying to clear her vision. She couldn't see who was talking to her.

"Phoebe, are you okay?"

Finally, she was able to focus. Elise kneeled beside her, and about three other coworkers stood around, all looking concerned.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked, struggling to sit up.

"Don't move," Elise said firmly. "You fell and hit your head."

Phoebe shook her head, gripping her desk and pulling herself up. She stumbled back a few times before regaining her balance.

"I'm fine... Just... fine.. Low blood sugar," she said, searching for excuses. "You know me, so engrossed in my work, I can't help but forget to eat." She chuckled, waving off her forgetfulness.

Slowly, her coworkers shrugged the episode off and dispersed, but Elise remained behind, looking unconvinced.

"I swear, Elise, I'm fine," Phoebe insisted. She paused, frowning. "But... Maybe I should go home and rest? I can work from there the rest of the day."

After convincing her boss that she was okay and yes, she could drive home, she ran from the building, dialing Paige as she went.

"Have you checked on Marni recently?" Phoebe demanded, not even giving Paige a chance to say hello.

"She's napping," Paige replied. "I haven't bothered disturbing her. Why?"

"I had a premonition... Call for Leo and get up to her, now!"

Paige hung up without further conversation. Phoebe only hoped they weren't too late...

...

"Marni!" Paige cried, pounding on the bedroom door.

Finally, with no response, Paige orbed into the bedroom. She looked around frantically, but couldn't see the girl anywhere. She felt her heart pound in worry.

"Marni?" Paige called cautiously, listening carefully. She frowned, hearing a groan coming from the other side of the room. She walked, slowly, around the bed and gasped.

Marni lay on the floor, curled in a ball and shivering. She looked beat up, a cut on her head bleeding pretty heavily. Paige knelt beside her.

"Marni, what happened?" She questioned softly, stroking her hair.

Marni winced, eyes opening slowly. "Demon... Attacked..."

"How did I not hear?" Paige reprimanded herself.

Marni shook her head, wincing. "He shielded the room... Sound-proof..,"

After several agonizing minutes, Paige helped Marni up and onto the bed. It took another few minutes for her to heal the younger witch. When Paige was done, Marni sighed in relief.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. She was shaken and pale. "I thought he was going to... I really thought..." Tears filled her eyes, her lip trembling. She sniffled once and blinked hard, forcing the tears back. She put on a poker face, blanking her emotions. She hated feeling vulnerable, especially in front of others. She wanted, desperately, to place a hand on her belly. But she didn't.

Paige frowned. "Who did this? Do you know?"

Marni started to nod yes, hesitated, then mumbled a shaky, "no." She avoided looking Paige in the eye.

Paige frowned, catching on. "Well, we should check the Book of Shadows, then. We need to vanquish whoever did this so they can't do it again."

"No," Marni said quickly, startled into looking up. "I mean, that's okay. I..."

"You vanquished him?" Paige questioned, tilting her head a little.

"No," Marni sighed bitterly. "My powers went all-."

Paige gave her a questioning look, silently urging her to continue. "You're powers didn't work? Did the demon steal them?"

"Not exactly..." Marni mumbled, twisting her hair nervously. "It... uhm..." She fidgeted, placing her hand on her belly.

Paige glanced at Marni's stomach, frowning suspiciously. "Marni, what happened?" she asked firmly.

Marni chewed on her lip, so hard it began to bleed a little.

Paige sighed, rubbing her temples. "Marni... Enough games, enough lies. Seriously."

Marni took a deep breath and looked Paige directly in the eyes. "My baby screwed with my powers."

Paige nodded, not completely surprised. Her suspicions were half-confirmed. "Okay... How?"

Marni stared at the floor for a minute. "The baby... Turned my pyro power... Into... flowers."

Paige's eyes widened. Suspicions fully confirmed. "Marni..."

Marni tucked her hair behind her ears, looking Paige in the eye again. "Yes?"

Paige opened her mouth, then closed it, trying to figure out how, exactly, to word her question.

"When Piper was pregnant with Wyatt..." Paige began, but Marni cut her off.

"I know," Marni replied flatly. "He did wonky things to her powers, too."

Paige gave her a questioning look. "And...?"

"I'm not Piper's daughter," Marni finally said, after a moment's hesitation, "if that's what you're thinking."

Paige sighed. That _was _where her thoughts had gone. She nodded slowly, taking this information in and crossing that theory off her list.

"Okay..." Paige finally said, throwing her hands up. "So... If you aren't her daughter, then... Who are you?"

Marni felt tears fill her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. If Chris were here, he would kill her. He would knock her unconscious again, to prevent her from speaking. He would fix this, make up some kind of white lie. Or he would just evade the question.

But Chris wasn't here, and she finally felt backed into a corner. She felt scared and lonely, and she didn't feel like she could deal with the stress and pressure of keeping the secret anymore. She let out a shuddering breath and looked to Paige again.

"I'm..." She hesitated, swallowing hard. "I'm her daughter-in-law."


	13. Running Away

A/N: Hey guys! I've been fighting through Writer's Block and sort of succeeding!

**Joy:** Well, she's sort of opening up... – Coughs. – Lalala :)

**mahsa:** I'm working on it! I swear!

**sassytxnmama:** Thanks! Not as shocking as some of my others, since everyone knew this. But still! Thanks!

**ObsessedwReading:** You'll see soon!

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Yes, she is! And no, you don't! Demon? What demon? – Whistles. –

**GirlOnFire33:** Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

Guys, I'm exhausted. I'm trying to keep up, but I've been super busy lately. I'm trying so hard to keep things going, but I do apologize NOW if I have delays in the future. I'm trying not to let more than 5-7 days go by without an update though. Maybe this weekend I can get a lot of writing done.

So, as always, kindly read, review and ENJOY!

...

Paige was stunned. She didn't know what to say, or what part of this to focus on first. Marni... was Piper's daughter-in-law? And if that was true, then that meant Chris was...

"Wait..." Paige paused, trying to get all this new information straight in her head. "So... That means... Chris is Piper's son?"

Marni stared at the floor, biting her lip and sniffling. Finally, still avoiding eye contact with Paige, she nodded once.

"Oh my god," Paige whispered. She had basically figured that part out herself, but hearing it out loud made it so much more real. "But... That means-." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "You're carrying Piper's grandchild?"

Marni sighed, nodding again. "Yes," she mumbled.

Paige stood on weak legs, pacing back and forth. "Oh man," she whispered, feeling like she was on information overload.

"Paige, please," Marni finally said, looking up at Paige with fear and panic. "You can't tell Piper. She can't know."

"Why not?" Paige asked, looking and sounding genuinely concerned. "She has a right to know."

"Because it's too dangerous," Marni insisted. "For her and for Chris."

Paige frowned, crossing her arms. "And what about you?"

Marni licked her lips, shrugging. "I don't care about me. I care about my baby. And keeping my identity from Piper is a part of keeping my child safe."

"Okay, fine," Paige relented. "But, we need to at least tell Phoebe."

"Paige!" Marni cried, standing now. At about three and a half months pregnant, her baby bump was just showing and she placed a hand on it protectively. "Please. You shouldn't know! We can't tell anyone else!"

"Okay," Paige said soothingly. "Why don't you take a shower and a nap, and we'll discuss this later?"

Marni frowned but nodded. Paige gave her a reassuring smile before leaving her alone, making her way down to the kitchen.

Marni waited a few moments before tiptoeing after Paige. She paused just outside the kitchen, straining to listen to Paige, who was on the phone with someone, though she couldn't tell with whom at first. Until Paige spoke again.

"Phoebe, where are you?" Paige questioned. "Okay, well, hurry. We have a lot to talk about."

Marni stepped back from the kitchen, trembling with fear and anxiety. She hated herself for letting Paige find out the truth, and she regretted it with every fiber of her being.

She knew what she had to do now, and it broke her heart.

...

"Paige!"

Paige made her way from the kitchen to the entryway, hurrying to Phoebe's side.

"Is Marni okay?" Phoebe demanded, still shaken from her vision. She had tried to rush home, but traffic had prevented it. She was edgy, ready to jump out of her skin.

"For now," Paige said vaguely. "The demon was gone by the time I got in there, but she was okay, just a little shaken up."

"So what did you call me for?" Phoebe asked, confused. "You said we had things to discuss..."

Paige nodded, eyes wide. "Yep... We do. We really, really do."

Phoebe tensed, ready for bad news. "Let's go check on Marni, and then we can all talk, okay?"

Paige nodded, leading the way up to Phoebe's room, where Marni had set up camp. She knocked, but Marni didn't respond. She and Phoebe frowned at each other, and she knocked again. "Marni? Can we come in?" She knocked a third time, and there was still no answer.

'Okay, this has me worried." Phoebe gripped the door handle and, when it didn't resist, she shoved the door open.

The room looked neat and tidy. Marni's clothes were gone, the bed was made, and the curtains were open, letting in the bright afternoon sunshine.

"Phoebe..." Paige called, her voice weak with emotion.

Phoebe approached the bed, where Paige held a note in her hand. The paper trembled. Phoebe placed one hand on Paige's shoulder and used the other to take the note. It read:

"Dear Piper, Phoebe and Paige,

Thank you for everything you've done for me. If you hadn't taken me in and shown me the hospitality you did, I probably would have been dead by now. But it's become clear to me that this living situation can't go on forever. You've been amazing and patient, but it's also obvious that you want more from me than I can give. I can't tell you what you want to know. And I can't sit idly by while my destiny is taken from me. I need to do what should have been done from the beginning. I need to face my demons. And if it's meant to be, then I'll be safe. I can only hope, right? Thank you for everything. It was amazing getting to know all of you.

Best, Marni."

"Phoebe," Paige asked, voice shaking, "Does this mean what I think it means?"

Phoebe nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes. "Marni went back to the future."

...

Piper was sitting in P3, doing paperwork at the bar. She'd been there for hours and felt exhausted. Her eyes were tired and dry, and she desperately needed to stretch, but she was almost done.

The front door creaked open and slammed shut, startling her. She stood, ready to freeze, blow up, or run, depending on the situation.

"We're closed," she called loudly, wondering how the intruder had even been able to get inside. Hadn't she locked the door?

But a second later, Marni appeared on the staircase. She made her way down the steps, wincing a little and holding her belly. She was still sore from the demon attack, but she tried not to show it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said with a shrug. "Am I interrupting?"

"No," Piper insisted, lowering her hands. "Sorry, reflex. How did you get in?"

"The door was unlocked," Marni said quickly, but Piper could sense the lie immediately, and grew suspicious.

"So I thought you were home relaxing," Piper questioned, quirking a brow. "Everything okay?"

Marni nodded, not trusting herself to speak without her voice shaking.

"Come sit," Piper said, gesturing towards the tables just past the bar. She pulled a chair out for Marni and took the seat across from the young girl.

"Talk to me," Piper said after a moment, keeping her vice gentle and as non-threatening as she could.

"I was just a little restless," Marni began, her voice quivering. She cleared her throat. "I felt kind of cooped up and wanted to come see you. I, uhm... I know I've been a bit of a brat, and I know you want me to tell you who I am and what demon is after me and everything... You guys have been so kind and patient, and I'm sorry I can't..."

"It's okay," Piper insisted, cutting Marni off. She reached across the table and took Marni's hand reassuringly. "Look, one day, when you're ready, you'll tell us. Right?"

Marni hesitated before nodding. She knew it was rude, but she yanked her hand back from Piper and stood. She barely managed to maintain eye contact without bursting into tears. "Well, I just wanted to say that. And thank you for everything and... Well, just thanks." She had almost said more – she wanted to say more. But she stopped herself.

Piper stood, opening her mouth to speak when the phone rang.

"You should get that," Marni said quickly, using the phone as her means of escape. She was half way across the room before Piper could even take a step towards the phone. "You're an amazing woman, Piper," she added, gripping the railing. "And an incredible mother and witch. Never forget that."

"Marni," Piper tried, but the girl had escaped up the stairs and out the door. She heard the door slam and sighed, running to grab the phone before it went to voice mail. "P3"

"Piper," Phoebe said quickly. "We need you home. It's Marni."

"What about her? She was just here," Piper explained, growing more concerned. "She was a little mushy and cryptic, but she seemed fine."

"She's running away," Phoebe said urgently. "I think she's going back to the future. You have to stop her. Paige and I are orbing now."

Piper dropped the phone, not bothering to answer Phoebe or hang up. All she could think about was getting to Marni. She ran, faster than she thought she could, up the stairs and outside.

"Marni!" She looked around, frantic, when she heard – just barely – Marni's voice. She turned in the direction of the alley beside P3 and took off running again. She stumbled into the mouth of the alley and spotted Marni. There was a glowing blue portal on the building wall, and Marni stood before it, looking pale and trembling.

"Marni!" Piper yelled, running to grab her before she could do anything stupid.

But Marni was already stepping into the portal.


	14. Home

A/N: Uhm, Whoa. Guys, I'm SO sorry! I can't believe so many days have gone by since I last updated this! I've been super busy with LOTS of stuff and I'll keep this short and get right into it.

**GirlOnFire33:** Guess you'll see soon! ;) So glad you're enjoying!

**CharmedOpal:** You'll find out soon!

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** You're welcome :)

**ObsessedwReading:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

**Joy:** We'll see, won't we? –evil grin –

Enjoy, guys! And so sorry, again, for the delay!

...

Piper skidded to a halt before the portal. It still swirled with varying shades of blue. She hesitated, looking around for Phoebe and Paige, but she didn't see them, and she didn't have a lot of time.

She paused for a heartbeat longer before stepping through the portal in search of Marni.

...

"Piper?" Paige called, as she and Phoebe orbed into P3. "Piper, where are you?"

Phoebe came half-walking, half-running from the back, shaking her head at Paige. "She's not in her office."

Phoebe motioned for Paige to follow her as she ran up the steps and outside, scanning the parking lot. Piper's car was still parked in the front row.

"This is not good," Paige said with a sigh, looking around. "Where could they be?"

"I don't know," Phoebe replied grimly. She looked around, trying to spot any clues that might lead her to her sister and the young witch. "They couldn't have gone far, though. We didn't take _that _long to get here."

Paige chewed on her lip for a moment before turning to face the alley. She frowned, taking a step closer. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a strange pull coming from the narrow space. She took another step, almost without realizing what she was doing.

"Paige?" Phoebe asked slowly, stepping up beside her sister.

"Remember that spell Chris used?" Paige asked, stumbling a little over his name; she was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he was Piper's son. She glanced at Phoebe. "He drew the Triquetra on the wall of the attic."

Phoebe nodded and followed Paige down the alley, not needing Paige to explain any further. About halfway down, they stopped, staring at the chalk-drawn Triquetra on the brick wall of the building.

"They were definitely here," Phoebe said, reaching out for the wall and praying for a premonition. But nothing happened.

Paige gave her sister some space, walking further into the alley to search for clues. She had no idea what she was searching for. All she knew was she had to find Piper and Marni.

From behind her, she heard Phoebe's sharp gasp, followed by a thump. When she turned, Phoebe was on the ground, struggling to get up. Paige ran to her, grabbing her hand and helping her to her feet.

"What was it? What did you see?"

Phoebe couldn't find the right words to explain. She simply stared at Paige, a look of fear and sadness on her face.

...

"Where the heck are we?"

Marni jumped, startled, spinning around. When she spotted Piper, her eyes widened in stark terror. She hurried to Piper's side, gripping her arm painfully tight. Piper winced.

"What are you doing here?" Marni snarled. "How did you find me? That portal should have closed!" She was babbling, she knew, but this was bad. This was so, so bad.

"I followed you," Piper snapped, "Because you're being stupid. What the hell were you thinking, coming back here?"

Because, even though Piper hadn't recognized their location before, she now realized that was where they were. Phoebe had suspected this was where Marni was headed, but Piper hadn't been prepared for what she now saw.

Even from deep within the alley, she could tell her beloved San Francisco was a mess, devastated and ruined. It broke her heart.

"This is my home, Piper," Marni explained through gritted teeth," and I couldn't stay in your time. It's not home." The venom Marni put behind the word 'home,' the disgust in her eyes, made Piper wince.

"We were keeping you safe though," Piper snarled.

Marni laughed bitterly. "And asking too many questions. And betraying my trust."

Piper frowned, startled. "What do you mean? We didn't.."

"No," Marni agreed, "Not you."

Piper frowned, vowing to have a little chat with Phoebe and Paige when they got home. Just when she was about to demand Marni re-draw the Triquetra and get them back to the past, Marni gasped and yanked Piper behind the Dumpster, putting a finger to her lips.

Heavy footsteps clomped just outside the alley, crunching glass, rocks and dirt beneath their soles. They seemed to come to a stop on the other side of the Dumpster.

"I could have sworn I heard voices," a male voice snarled.

"Maybe you're going deaf," another male voice joked, snickering.

There was a loud smacking sound, a thud, and then gagging.

"Don't ever speak to me that way again," the second voice snarled. There was a choked gasp, and then panting, as he released the other demon – Piper was convinced they were demons, at least.

"He said he felt Good Magic being used in this area," the second voice continued, un-phased by what he had just done. "We need to check the whole area, carefully."

"Does he really think the girl would be dumb enough to show up here?" the first demon asked, sounding hoarse. He cleared his throat several times.

"She is dumb," the second demon sneered.

Marni clenched her fists, knowing they were talking about her.

"That dumb witch should have stayed in the past. And Chris," the second demon spat, as if Chris's name was a curse word. "He'll get what's coming to him. No one betrays Him and gets away with it."

Marni's eyes widened in fear. She felt faint, and Piper grabbed her to steady her.

"What do you think He will do to Chris? For his betrayal," the first demon questioned, sounding eager – as if he hoped it was a fate worse than death.

"I don't know," the second demon said, pausing for a long time. Then he chuckled. "I hope it hurts." He paused again. "And I hope He lets me do it. I haven't been able to torture someone in soooo long."

Boiling with rage, Marni could no longer control her actions. Piper grabbed at her, tightening her grip on her arm, trying desperately to hold the young witch back. But with a determined tug, Marni broke free and charged at the two demons.

They stared at her in shock, as if they couldn't believe she was actually, honestly there. And neither missed the very obvious bump to her belly. They sneered at each other, grinning lasciviously at Marni.

"I'm going to love vanquishing you," Marni snarled softly, flames dancing in her palms.

Both demons chuckled, staring her down. "Little girl, you've come home."

Marni snarled, letting a stream of fire arc from her palm, hitting the first demon – the weaker one – in the chest. He screamed in agony for a long time before bursting into flames. One down, one to go.

But the second demon back-handed her across the face, sending her flailing into the brick wall. She grunted, hitting the ground hard. She struggled to stand, but the demon stepped on her arm, crushing it into the asphalt and preventing her from standing. She shrieked, using her other arm to punch at his knee.

Piper came barreling out of the alley. "Hey!"

The demon looked up, annoyed at the interruption. But then his eyes widened in shock. He let up on Marni's hand, just a little, too dazed by the sight of Piper to realize.

"But... But..." the demon spluttered.

Talking her opportunity, Marni shifted her weight and kicked out, sending the demon sprawling to the ground. She summoned her fire power and was about to vanquish the demon when something in the air shifted.

Marni froze, eyes wide. "No..." She cried, quickly running to Piper's side and shoving her back down the alley.

"Hide," she said urgently. "And no matter what, don't come out!"

"But-." Piper argued, but Marni cut her off with a stern look.

"I mean it, Piper," Marni snapped. "No matter what happens to me, don't come out." She turned to walk back out of the alley. But, as an afterthought, she reached into her pocket and shoved two small items into Piper's hands. Then, with one last glance, she walked back to where the demon stood – now accompanied by another person.

Another demon.

He frowned in disgust at the demon on the ground, as it begged him for forgiveness. He shook his head, wrinkling his nose in contempt. With a flick of his hand, the demon became dust.

And then he trained his eyes on Marni. And a slow, evil smirk appeared on his face.

"Marni," He said softly, nodding to acknowledge her presence.

Marni's heart pounded in fear. She took a step back, away from Him. But she knew it was futile; now that he had her in his sights, there was no escaping. Regret sat in her stomach like a brick. She had been so dumb to come here, to risk this.

But it didn't matter now. Piper was in the alley, and she wouldn't be safe until Marni got Him away from her. So, in a voice that was calm and smooth, despite her whole body shaking like a leaf, she looked Him in the eyes and spoke one word: "Wyatt."


	15. Wyatt

A/N: Ack! You guys probably hate me. I'm so sorry! Life has gotten so insane.. I have some internship/part-time work things going, and it's eating up my time. Also, writer's block :\

**wiccawhitewitchcharmedfana:** Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

**Joy:** Haha, sorry for getting you all jumpy so early in the AM! Glad you're enjoying though!

**GirlOnFire33:** Eep... So, more words! But not soon or fast :\ Sorry!

**Debbie93:** It's coming...!

**ObsessedwReading:** I'm sorry for making you wonder for so long!

Seriously guys, I'm so sorry! I will say this now though: There might be a longer wait-period in-between chapters for awhile. August is going to be insane for me! I'll try really hard NOT to let 3 weeks go by without an update, but please bear with me!

I know this is a short chapter, but I just wanted to get SOMETHING in for you guys. And I apologize if it's blah or filler – I have a headache, but again, I didn't want to leave you guys hanging any longer!

Enjoy! And so sorry, again!

...

As Wyatt approached her, Marni held her ground. Even the slightest flinch would be a sign of weakness, and she refused to give him the satisfaction.

"And where have you been, dear sister-in-law?"

In the alley, Piper stiffened, eyes wide with shock and confusion. This... demon... Was Wyatt? Her sweet, little Wyatt? And... Marni was... Piper's heart pounded in her chest as she made the connection, as she realized who Chris was. She felt faint.

"Around," Marni replied coldly, forcing herself to keep eye contact with Wyatt, to keep herself from looking back and checking on Piper.

Wyatt stood so close to her, his nose was tip-to-tip with hers. He stroked her hair, smirking. "Do not lie to me, Marni."

Marni swallowed, licking her lips. "I've been around," she repeated firmly, glaring at him, daring him to contradict her.

Wyatt smirked at her, appreciating her attempt at bravado. Suddenly, he grabbed her roughly around the arm and yanked, sending her off balance. She yelped and stumbled, hitting the pavement knees first. She ground her teeth together as the rough asphalt bit through her jeans, scraping skin and jarring bone.

As she struggled to stand, Marni prayed Piper would stay put. Her mother-in-law had a bad history of jumping to the rescue. But this encounter could get her killed. Or worse.

"Tell you what, dear sister-in-law," Wyatt said softly, yanking her up to her feet. "We're going to go home and have a little chat." He paused, smirking. "I have to give you your baby shower gift, anyway."

Marni's eyes widened. She tried to pull away, just as Wyatt orbed – dark orbs – out of the alley with her.

"No!" Piper cried, jumping up and running to the spot they had just stood. Her lip trembled and she slumped back, defeated.

Wyatt was evil. Chris was her son. And Marni – who she had treated terribly, as if she were a stranger and untrustworthy – was her daughter-in-law... And carrying her grandchild.

"How is this possible?" Piper sobbed, looking around helplessly.

"You shouldn't be here."

Piper jumped, looking around for the speaker.

"Who's there?" Piper demanded, sniffling. "Show yourself, or I'll blow you to hell."

A young girl stepped out from behind the other side of the alley. She was short and thin, and looked dirty and haggard, like she lived on the streets.

"You need to go back to your own time," the young girl insisted. "Before He finds you."

"Before who finds me? Wyatt?" Piper scoffed. "That kid needs a good time out!"

The young girl smiled sadly. "He won't hesitate to kill you. You must go back. I can help you."

Piper shook her head. "Not without Marni!"

"He has Marni," the young girl said sadly. "And there is no getting her back. You're needed in your own time, Piper."

Piper frowned, only slightly suspicious; many people knew who she and her sisters were. "Who are you?"

The girl frowned, shaking her head. "You need to go." She grabbed Piper's hands and dragged her down the alley. Piper was so stunned, she didn't fight.

The girl dropped Piper's hand, and reached behind the dumpster. After some searching, she came away with a piece of chalk, wrapped up in yellowed parchment paper. She began drawing the Triquetra on the alley wall.

"Seriously, who are you?" Piper demanded, not unkindly.

The girl hesitated, frowning at Piper, then went back to work. "You know too much already. Trust me, this is for the best. Marni didn't belong in your time, and you are in too much danger in this time."

Piper watched her complete the drawing of the ancient symbol, silent. She had a bad feeling about all of this.

"He's going to hurt Marni," Piper insisted. "I can't leave without her."

The girl sighed in frustration, dropping the chalk and turning to face Piper.

"If you are truly that insistent... Then go home, and work out a strategy with your sisters. You can't do this alone." Without waiting for a reply, the girl quickly said the spell to open the portal. When it appeared, she turned to face Piper, her eyes full of sadness.

Without giving Piper a chance to retaliate, she grabbed her arm and – with more strength than a girl her size should have – shoved her in. The portal sealed.

...

"This is ridiculous," Paige argued, kicking the wall, then cringing as her toe throbbed.

"I know," Phoebe replied, frustrated. "But we can't give- AH!"

In the blink of an eye, Phoebe was sprawled on the ground, pinned by Piper.

"Ow!" Piper whined, rolling to the side. "Sorry, Pheebs," she said with a wince, standing and offering her sister a hand.

Phoebe stood, shaking it off. "What the hell happened?"

Piper gulped, shaking her head. "We need to get back to the Manor. I'll explain everything

Paige frowned, fear on her face, as she grabbed her sister's hands and orbed them immediately to the attic and the Book of Shadows.


	16. Crystal Cage

A/N: Hmmm. Who hates me? Show of hands? – Looks around. Winces – I'm sorry guys! A lot has been going on! Mostly, I've been doing a LOT of book blogging lately. For those who don't know, I really want to work in publishing and I'm trying to sue blogging to get a food in the door! I'm sorry I've been neglecting my fanfics for it! Can you forgive me?

**ObsessedwReading:** Glad you enjoyed it!

**Semper Fi Witchlighter:** Muahahahaha! Glad you enjoyed the last 2 chapters o much!

**sassytxnmama:** You'll find out in time! At some point.. Muahaha :)

**GirlOnFire33:** Hehe, glad you enjoyed!

Again, so sorry for making you guys read! I hope you haven't forgotten about me and can forgive me! If it helps, this chapter is LONG and EPIC!

Read, review, and enjoy!

...

"This is insane," Phoebe snapped, pacing the attic.

Piper ignored her, flipping frantically through the Book of Shadows.

"And you knew for how long?" Phoebe demanded, glaring at Paige.

Paige winced, shrugging. "She promised me I wouldn't say anything. I had finally gained her trust. I didn't want to ruin that."

"And she ended up running off anyway," Phoebe snapped. "Because she thought you were spilling her secrets to me. Great, just great."

Paige hung her head, filled with guilt and sadness. "I didn't know she was listening, Phoebe," she finally said, a sharp edge to her voice. "Don't pin all this on me."

"Paige, I'm not-."

Suddenly, the vase behind Paige and Phoebe exploded into a million pieces. Both sisters turned, with shock, to Piper, who was glowering at them.

"If you two would stop bickering like little old ladies, we have work to do." Her tone cold and dead, like she knew they would lose whatever battle they had before them, but she was still determined to push forward.

"Now, you two can keep blaming each other, or you can help me fix this," she continued, eyes glinting. When her sisters remained silent, she said, "Phoebe, I need a spell. I need to summon that little girl here and ask her some questions."

"But we don't even know her name," Phoebe argued.

"I don't care. Think of something." Piper turned to Paige. "We need some really strong vanquishing potions and some power-stripping potions."

Paige opened her mouth to argue, thought better of it, and left the room, headed for the kitchen.

"Piper, I'm so sorry," Phoebe murmured, moving to comfort her older sister.

Piper pulled away. "I can't, Phoebe. I can't or I'll fall apart and I can't fall apart yet," she growled, gritting her teeth to keep from crying. "Marni is counting on us."

"And Chris?" Phoebe asked gently and then, after hesitating, "Wyatt?"

Piper licked her lips, silent for a long time before she finally met Phoebe's eyes. "My main concern is Marni. Chris sent her here so we would protect her and her baby. Right now, we've failed all three of them. Chris didn't sacrifice himself, going back to the future, just for Marni to suffer whatever fate Wyatt has planned for her." She paused once more, taking a deep breath. "We save Marni, get her safely back here, and then we figure out how to save Chris."

Phoebe frowned but nodded, taking a seat at the round wooden table, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen to start working on her spell.

Piper turned back to the book, biting her lip hard to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

...

Marni felt weak and dizzy. Every time she tried to open her eyes, the room spun, making her want to throw up.

She wasn't sure where she was, although she knew she it was familiar; she was just too disoriented to put the pieces together.

"Rise and shine, dear sister-in-law."

Like nails on a chalkboard, the voice instantly made Marni snap to attention. Her head snapped up and her eyes locked on Wyatt. The room spun for several minutes as she fought to glare, not whimper, at the demon before her.

"That was some nap you took," Wyatt said with a chuckle. "I was starting to think you were never going to wake up again... Tragic."

"What did you do to me?" Marni slurred. Her mouth felt dry, and her tongue felt too big for her mouth. She swallowed several times, but it did no good.

Wyatt stepped before her and knelt down in front of her; He had chained her to the wall and she was seated on the cold cement floor. He ran a finger through her long brown hair, caressing her cheek with an evil smirk.

"A mild sedative potion," Wyatt explained. When Marni's eyes widened in panic, Wyatt shook his head. "Nothing that will hurt your baby, dear sister-in-law." He stared at her stomach for a long time before meeting her gaze again. "She'll be my prize possession, once I raise her and train her."

"No!" Marni snarled, fighting against her chains. But she was still tired and weak, and barely tugged them before her heavy arms went limp.

Wyatt chuckled, standing and pacing before her. "You should have known, Marni, that there would be repercussions for your little trip to the past. Chris is currently undergoing his punishment."

Marni's chest tightened in panic. Chris? Where was he? Was he okay?

Wyatt stopped and stared at his sister-in-law for a long time, his expression unreadable. "Chris's betrayal runs too deep to ignore. But if you pledge your allegiance to me, I will spare you and allow you to remain in your daughter's life – although you will have no say in how she is raised."

Marni's heart pounded. This was insane. This was... She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't let her child be raised in this world, by this monster. But she was powerless to stop him. She fell against the wall in defeat.

Wyatt chuckled, knowing she had admitted defeat.

"What about Chris? He's your brother," Marni snapped, though her tone was one of pleading, not anger.

Wyatt gritted his teeth. "Chris betrayed me in every way he possibly could. There is no forgiveness for him. Consider your choices, Marni." He paused, approaching her once more. In a soft, menacing tone, he said, "Either join me and watch your daughter grow up... Or die immediately after her birth."

Marni had to bit down hard on her lip to keep from spitting on him as he stared into her eyes, then stepped away.

"You can think about your choice." With a wave of dismissal, Wyatt turned his back on her and made his way up the basement steps – because, finally, Marni realized she was in the basement of the Manor.

When the door slammed shut behind Wyatt, Marni broke down and sobbed.

...

"Are we sure this is going to work?" Paige asked reluctantly.

Piper stood between her sisters, a circle of crystals before them. They held hands.

"I don't know, but it's all we've got," Phoebe replied grimly.

"Let's just do this," Piper said flatly.

Together, they chanted the spell Phoebe had written. The one they hoped would bring the mysterious little girl to them, into their crystal cage; they had special crystals that would entrap even good magical beings, since they didn't know if they could trust this girl or not.

After the third round of chanting, golden lights filled the crystal cage. Piper watched, breath caught in her throat, as the figure of a girl formed. Finally, the golden lights faded and the little girl Piper had encountered in the future stood before them, looking terrified.

"What's going on?" She demanded, trying to sound more brave then she felt.

"We're not going to hurt you," Piper explained. "We just need some answers."

The girl glared. "Then what's with the cage?"

Phoebe shrugged. "We don't know anything about you. It's just a precaution."

"I can't tell you anything," the girl said, her voice flat. "Marni is back where she belongs and her fate is sealed."

"You can't tell me you believe that," Paige said, shocked. "She's an innocent girl and she's pregnant. Who knows what Wyatt is doing to her!"

The girl signed, shaking her head. "You don't understand. You don't know what you're getting into. And I can't help you."

"But you can," Piper insisted. "You can tell us where he is and where he could be keeping Marni and Chris."

Something flashed in the little girl's eyes at the mention of Chris's name, but whatever it was quickly disappeared, replaced by her attempt at a poker face.

"I can't help you."

"You know Chris?" Phoebe asked, catching the look and refusing to back down.

The little girl frowned at Phoebe and shrugged.

"Alright, I'm tired of this crap." Piper grabbed an athame off the table beside her – left behind by a vanquished demon – and stormed up to the crystal cage. She kicked a crystal aside, grabbed the little girl by the arm, and dragged her to the couch, where she sat the girl down and stuck the blade to her neck.

"First Marni was cryptic," Piper snarled. "Then Chris. Dammit, I'm tired of being told I can't do anything to help, or I can't save the people I love. I'm a witch, dammit, and a really pissed off witch at that. Now you're either going to tell us what we need to know, or you're going to suffer the consequences."

The little girl stared steadily into Piper's eyes.

"Piper..." Phoebe warned, ready to move if she had to stop Piper from doing something she would regret.

"No, don't 'Piper' me, Phoebe," Piper snapped. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of the secrets and lies and I want the truth!"

The little girl swallowed hard, and the blade pricked her flesh just enough that a drop of blood appeared.

"Fine," she finally said. She licked her lips. "You want the truth? Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Piper scowled, ready to ask what she meant by that, when the little girl suddenly disappeared before her eyes. Piper jumped to her feet, startled. "Where..."

The girl appeared a few feet away from them, arms crossed.

"Did she just..." Phoebe began, eyes wide.

"Shimmer?" The little girl asked, her tone mocking. She hesitated before nodding. "That's right. I'm part demon, part witch." She turned her gaze on Phoebe. "My mom was a witch... My dad a demon."

Dead silence filled the room. And then a thump as Phoebe passed out.


End file.
